Where would you like to see F1 go?

GeoffP

Wake me when we’re there
Contributor
The more seasons I watch the more I see rules honing in on technology such that technical achievement is becoming more of a minor advantage, and compromised in delivering results - if it can stand up to competitor challenges.

This has got to the point where the regulations are now creating the defining factors in order to regain the racing excitement that differentiation used to provide. The likes of KERs and DRS are prime examples where the FIA have tried to create an impression of the excitement we used to enjoy.

A couple of years in to these new "features" and I feel that they no longer materially impact drivers racing one another owing to teams understanding their impact and use, so they are fast becoming as irrelevant as the technology that was driven by excellence and are probably little more than a credible alternative to the Blue Flag.

There's than one problem as a result of this homogenisation. F1 is not an environmentally friendly sport. This is true on a stand alone basis, but if racing technology can cause a minor gain in road cars the environmental basis of the sport could easily be justified. F1 is very expensive, and if each 1/100th of a second is gained through an ever increasing exactitude there's a danger that the core excellence of the sport will be priced out. Cars can't overtake easily. No shit sherlock! If you have 24 of the best drivers in the world driving the same car at the same circuits for nine months of the year, you will need a mistake or an exceptional level of inspiration to generate a pass.

So, where do we go?

For my part I have one rule change I desire. Set the rules, as they are, tougher/looser, whatever, but have two levels of restriction on the various areas of the car. Each team announces at the start of the season which three areas where they wish to exploit the more relaxed rules and develop further. They must stick to these selections for the season.

This will encourage design excellence, differentiation in the relative performance of the cars at different venues and different conditions, and, most importantly, give F1 a chance to demonstrate where their designers can take them.

What are your thoughts?
 
I know it seems like F1 paints itself into a corner technology wise but that just isn't true don't get me wrong I would love to see an engine development war to bring back manufactures but the reality is that when F1 starts to become stagnant or one team is always winning then the powers that be bring in new regs and everyone starts anew and the development starts again it doesn't happen every year but it does happen, and always will as long as the sport is around, mind you I am not sure how long that will be.
 
For me it's as simple as this. F1 is finished. Sounds crazy dosn't it but when you think about it I don't think there is any other answer. It's a shame but your article GeoffP has hit the nail right on the head. The way ahead for me is to start again with a new series. No Bernie, no Ferrari and there been in it since 1950 veto bonus, no restrictive technical rules, the list goes on. If a new team wants to join F1 these days they have to pay a new entrant fee of around 50 million when just twenty years ago it was around 500000 dollers! How is that to any ones benefit. A new series shouldn't be a break away because as Indy car proved during the late 90s that never works but a new, fresh start from square one. Of course this can never happen because F1 is so much at the centre of things that nothing else stands a chance.
 
Further to my rant above i've seen that Bernie has sold the T.V. Rights to F1 in Italy to Sky Italy and that when the dual contract runs out in the UK the rights will almost certainly go to Sky. With Sky UKs current viewing figures for F1 hardly setting the world on fire, can pay per view really be a long term solution to F1s global market exposure? F1 is withering on the vine.
 
I would like to see drivers who deliberately run off track to overtake or gain advantage penalised by the conditions I.E the surface they run onto rather than the stewards, these massive get out of jail free run off areas are just wrong, wrong, wrong on every level...
 
Force Bernie to hand over his powers to the CTA community, with Brogan as overall leader.Then F1 would be great.Anyone have a problem with that thought? :no:

There is a better, more democratic way.

Set up a website where the F1 fans and professionals can suggest routes for F1 to follow.
The most popular ideas are voted on, if they get a majority they are implemented the following season.
 
Set up a website.Sounds fine in principle.Who would you suggest translates all of the ideas in some twenty different languages.
Seems to me that many on here think that the UK is the centre of the F1 universe.
Taking SKY as an example the couple of million viewers lost by BBC not showing is a minute speck compared the world wide viewing numbers.
 
Set up a website.Sounds fine in principle.Who would you suggest translates all of the ideas in some twenty different languages.
Seems to me that many on here think that the UK is the centre of the F1 universe.
Taking SKY as an example the couple of million viewers lost by BBC not showing is a minute speck compared the world wide viewing numbers.

Given the UK has produced more winning cars and more world champions than any other country and that almost all teams choose to base themselves here I think the UK can justifiably make that claim!

As far as TV rights go, you'll notice that I posted that Bernie has sold the rights to show F1 in Italy to Sky Italy so this isn't just a UK issue. I believe that the Italian T.V. Viewing figures for F1 are generally higher than those in the UK and if the drop in viewing figures is replicated then the Italian viewing figures, if you take the German G.P. As an example, by around 35 percent. Bernie is happy that will still give F1 a high enough level of exposure. This also means that F1 will almost certainly become fully PPV in almost all regions of the world in the next 10 or so years.
 
I would love a return of V10/12 engines but there is absolutely no chance of that happening. I would settle for more powerful engines, with higher top speeds, of any sort but that won't be happening with the V6 engines (the rules on those that I've seen are pretty restrictive as well). Maybe long term we could see a speed increase from electric or fuel cell powered cars... I don't know.

The point is that by increasing speeds whilst maintaining the same level of downforce you in theory make it more difficult for the drivers and open more overtaking opportunities by increasing braking distances etc. This is a more appropriate direction for the pinnacle of motorsport than talks of removing wings and bringing back steel brakes, which makes me cringe every time I hear it. We'd be sending F1 back to the 1960s...
 
Increase the opportunities for driver error.
I've long been keen on unrestricted DRS use and no power limits on KERS. Bring it back to the driver doing something more with the car than pressing the loud pedal and steering. Give them the chance to mess it up and punish them when they do.
It's not about aero or brakes or corners... It's about people handling extreme pressure at ridiculous speeds but at the moment it doesn't always seem that way.

All of the above are simple statements to make a point, I know there's more to it but I'm on my way home...
 
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