Should the number of teams in F1 be expanded?

[sportsman]

Customer cars could be reintroduced subject to certain conditions.I am not advocating that you go and buy an RB8 have it delivered and fill it up with fluids then start racing.
Maybe you could buy a monocoque, add your own engine, gearbox and aero set up.
And encourage inter team collaboration, for instance smaller teams could have access to the big teams wind tunnels.
Their will always be the danger of "B" teams under another name but suitable legislation could be written to prevent glaring examples of that.

 

[johnnoble1990]

Sugar. I've already ordered my RB8 sportsman. And Horner said no "backsies".

 

[sportsman]

I already have a Haynes manual for an RB6.Can't seem to find one for sale anywhere.

 

[canis]

Sugar. I've already ordered my RB8 sportsman. And Horner said no "backsies".

Just stick a few lights on it, some road legal tyres and get it MOT'd then? Would make the commute to wok a lot quicker, though not sure I would like the speeding fines it would build up

 

[Road of Bones]

I thought Maurice Hamilton's latest article would be pertinent here:

http://www.grandprix.com/columns/maurice-hamilton/a-busted-hush.html

Basically underlines what Sportsman said earlier in the thread - the current model is approaching collapse, and there is a real danger that several teams could simply shut up shop altogether. F1 relies on commercial sponsorship for its existence, and if the available pool of money is evaporating as investors seek to reduce their outlay, then where is the financial cushion for the struggling teams? What would happen to F1 if Williams, Sauber and Force India suddenly folded?

Perhaps Max Mosely's budget cap wasn't such a daft idea after all?

 

[sportsman]

Well worth reading complete article.

http://www.pitpass.com/45645-Teams-crash-out-of-F1-payment-race
For the past few months rumours have been swirling around about teams which haven't paid their bills. It's the usual pre-season chatter with speculation over new backers which may need to come in to rescue some of F1's ailing outfits. However, the rumours are far from an official confirmation of late payment. Now we have the facts.
A report in the Express by Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt reveals that F1's 12 teams have failed to drive out of the recession. The report is based on new data from business information firm Dun & Bradstreet and it shows that despite having a combined budget of over £1.4bn, none of the teams settled their bills on or before they were due over the period from March to December last year.
It dents the impression that cash is free flowing in F1 and is the first time since Dun & Bradstreet began producing its biannual report in 2008 that none of the teams paid its bills on time. The effect of this is felt far outside F1.

 

[KekeTheKing]

F1 is a microcosm of the world as a whole. Most nations have lived beyond their means for decades.

In both situations though, there are powerful people who will take extreme measures to ensure that the status quo continues indefinitely.

As long as the gears of the global finance machine are grinding along, Formula One will manage to muddle along.

 

[RasputinLives]

I'll throw back into the mix the idea of the FIA building a chassie it can supply to teams at a cut price. Teams wouldn't have to take it therefore not turning F1 into a spec series (I doubt Ferrari etc would do it) but allowing teams to cut the cost of designing and building in the first place. They'd obviously still have development costs but it could be a way to keep the cost of the sport down and keep the field fairly competitve.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I'll throw back into the mix the idea of the FIA building a chassie it can supply to teams at a cut price.

Imagine the howls if an "FIA" chassis somehow outpaced the big boys. If the FIA ever decided to build a car, they should run it in a completely new championship.

 

[Galahad]

I very much doubt the FIA have the funds to provide any worthwhile subsidy for a standard chassis commissioned from an external provider.

And why should they? Falling grid numbers would primarily be Bernie's problem, let him sort it out.

 

[FB]

This is a little off topic but there was an article on R4 yesterday that suggested that the recession of 2008 wasn't as bad as it could have been as drug money helped banks stay liquid as drug barons had lots of free cash they could inject into the financial sector and many banks took it without asking too many questions.

Imagine an F1 team sponsored by a Bolivian or Columbian drug cartel

 

[RasputinLives]

Well I original quote the idea that all the teams should be supplied with the FIA chassie for a fortnight and allowed to do what they like with it before deciding on whether to use it or not which would give the big boys chance to check their data. Also I was only talking about the very basics and the teams then developing around it.

Personally I think it would be hillarious if the cheap FIA chassie stuck it to the multi-million Red Bull but I do see what you mean.

 

[sportsman]

The FIA cannot provide a chassis.They are prohibited from having any commercial interest in F1 by an EC directive issued at the time they sold the commercial rights to Bernie.

 

[RasputinLives]

The FIA cannot provide a chassis.They are prohibited from having any commercial interest in F1 by an EC directive issued at the time they sold the commercial rights to Bernie.

I wasn't suggesting they sold it at a profit. Maybe they should pay for another company (like Bernie's) to devlop one for them then. I still think it would be a solution that would cut costs and keep the grid competitve. I realise it needs a few tweeks though.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Imagine an F1 team sponsored by a Bolivian or Columbian drug cartel

Manuel Noriega got released in December. Could be a prime candidate for Team Principal of the Panamanian outfit.

But seriously, its no secret that Hugo Chavez/PDVSA has kept Williams afloat. Also, the Saudis are no angels, and they were prominent during Williams' early years.

 

[sportsman]

Not quite customer cars but this could help the smaller teams.

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/7575090/Bernie-urges-new-team-help
Bernie Ecclestone says he would like to see teams at the back of the grid have the opportunity to run year-old cars from the front runners while they establish themselves in Formula 1.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News' Special Report, F1's commercial supremo said he could appreciate the struggles Marussia and HRT were experiencing and that F1 still needed to work on ways to give less well-funded teams a greater chance of competing.
Asked by Craig Slater if had sympathy with the two teams - who both failed to run their new cars in pre-season after failing crash tests - Ecclestone replied: "Yes and no. It's like people sitting in a poker game and they're sitting there with people that can really ante up and they can't. They've only got one way to go out.

 

[Brogan]

A couple of show-stopping problems with that.

1. Last year's cars aren't legal as they don't comply with this year's regulations. Yes the FIA could rewrite them but that still leaves...
2. The other teams would never go for it. Imagine the humiliation of one of the established teams being beaten by HRT running one of their old cars?

 

[Road of Bones]

Like Super Aguri & Honda in 2007 you mean...?

 

[Galahad]

I assume that such a change would require majority agreement of the teams via the Concorde Agreement? If so, I think Bernie has no chance - the same arguments that were had over Prodrive all over again.

 

[FB]

There would have to be some sort of handicapping system such as when Toro Rosso (I think) carried on with rev limited 3 litre engines after the 2.4 litre formula was introduced.