Some pills for a very sick puppy

cider_and_toast

Exulted Lord High Moderator of the Apex
Staff Member
Valued Member
Here folks are DR C_A_Ts perscriptions for F1. Some are wild and some are achievable but all are designed to improve the sport (I believe anyway). Feel free to argue, debate or debunk.

A) Get more teams into the sport by:

1) Reducing or scrap the rediculous "bond" that teams are required to pay the FIA just to compete. It was only designed to prevent another Andrea Moda anyway. If a team arrives in formula one that unprepared these days then paying a huge bond or not wouldn't make any difference. Look at how far off the pace Super Aguri were in their first year for example.

2) Encouraging engine builders to make F1 spec engines without getting the urge to buy the team they are supplying. Once upon a time Porsch, Ford, Honda etc etc could win races without buying up half of the grid to do so. Where are the likes of Judd and Hart? These companys built point scoring F1 engines (in the days when you had to finish 6th or higher) without multi million pound investments.

B) Introduce a trophy for independants.

During the final year of the Turbo era the FIA introduced the Colin Chapman cup and the Jim Clark Cup for the best placed normally aspirated team and driver. I propose a re-introduction of this but for independant teams. Similar to the Works and Independant trophies in BTCC. This should then generate some press and interest for the smaller teams. A substantial cash prize (obviously not as big as the WDC/WCC winner proper) should be on offer to give smaller teams an incentive to go for it.

C) Let designers have the ability to design cars again.

There has been so much restriction on the shape of the car and the aero for the last 20 years that it's almost un-noticeable what changes have been made year in year out to the cars. Ok so 2009 will be an exception because of the new rules but each car will still look almost identical. Look at a picture of a 1978 grid and then look of a picture of a 2008 grid and now imagine those cars with the same colour schemes and see how many cars look different on the 78 grid compared to 08.

D) Untangle the finacial mess that the sale of commercial sporting rights has become. The sooner this happens the sooner the money can be directed away from paying off massive interest payments to merchant banks and the more can be re-invested in the sport and teams (where it should be going in the first place).

E) As soon as D is complete put Dear old Bernie out to pasture. He may have done a lot to build up the sport but he must take his share of the blame for the mess that it's become now.

F) Do not repeat Do not let Herman Tilke any where near any F1 circuit design or re-design ever ever ever.

So there you go. I did have some other ideas but that will do for now.

What do you guys think ?? :goodday:
 
I think this particular cat needs castrating rofl

However i would not in anyway disagree with what you are saying, I understand mad max trying to get costs down and some kind of formula does need to be found for the good of the sport, but i'm now begining to wonder if this has all been a cunning plan from the outset and that perhaps FIA / FOM (uncle bernie) are really in charge of the world economy (more commonly known as pocket lining / divorce settlement funds).

1) discourage manufacturers - Take away their biggest markets, North America, half of europe and potential huge ones like China.
2) Outprice old skool events in europe in favour of a few countries with a few spare barrels of oil in the back pocket where the sand blows and the roads go to litterally no where but the natives drive like insane camels on drugs (more commonly known as super taxation... refer to world economy above). This could also extend to Russia and their very friendly mafia oil barons. Still unsure how India fits into that other than certain death ensues on their road system but at least you know you had a good curry first and the skid marks will be extreme.

Honestly i could go on but i'm getting bored of typing already.

But a few positives maybe. The state of the world economy as a whole means

1) less cash available from manufacturers / sponsorship
2) less cash means streamlining teams of unnecessary waste, pr stunts etc and hopefully they go back to being petrol heads
3) designers would become more creative within available budgets (if only the rules would allow them to be)

Nice stuff off the back of that.

1) maybe a return of engine only suppliers could be found as well as total manufacturers (but not within the stupid FIA current proposals of a single engine spec) yes a a spec for an engine to meet certain criteria i.e. 2l only 24V V8 must last a few races but not restrict it beyond that in rev limits etc. (i miss the cosworth years and the laffable lambo ones too)
2) Limit amount of fuel for a weekend, throw back to turbo days, quit refuelling so the racing stays on track (makes engine guys / teams think)
3) less cash to bigger teams may limit positives 1,2,3 above but may entice more independants back to the game which is sorely missed. Ok they maybe also rans to an extent in the big picture but i personally miss the low end of the grid excitement of will they / won't they (harmony hairspray has never been the same since)
4) ideally we need to find a route back for chassis manufacturers also but how or what you bolt on is down to the team (bit like in america)
5) as cat said give independants something to aim for, own trophy.

Final point take Bernie and Max down the vets and have them put down, i think they have outlasted their useful life span. :p
 
Martin Brundle has come up with an 8 point plan that he claims will solve some of the problems
They are:

  • Limit engine revs to 17,000 rpm and make them last 4 races
  • Reduce and limit testing
  • Allow teams to inspect other cars
  • Reduce the number of dry tyres per race weekend
  • Share common components
  • Limit team personnel at the race
  • Postpone KERS
  • Increase income to the teams

Read about it here: Get set for a bumpy ride
 
Back
Top Bottom