F1 needs our help

[Mr.B]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/27869435

Ferrari has proposed a meeting of Formula 1's leading figures to discuss the future of the sport.
Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo is concerned by declining television audiences in countries like Italy and Germany, as well as the difficulty teams are having attracting sponsors.
Di Montezemolo wants a "collective brainstorming for the good of F1".
He wants contributions from teams, race promoters, sponsors, media, social networks, Google and Apple.
His proposal came in a letter to F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone and Donald McKenzie, the president of CVC Capital Partners, the main shareholder in the sport.
Ferrari described the letter "not as an ultimatum, nor a threat, but a proposal to call together all the key players in the sport".
It wants new ideas that will "see Formula 1 continue to set the benchmark in motorsport, on level terms with global events such as the Olympics and the football World Cup".
Ferrari says F1 can learn from other sports that have better exploited new technology, such as smartphones and new media, to make viewing more accessible.
They added that there is a "need for a collective look at how the show can be improved", from the availability of the product, the format of the races and the weekend, as well as the focus and aim of the regulations.
Ferrari, the most high-profile and important in F1, say they are taking a "constructive" position aimed at trying to make an already good show even better.
"F1 has to be based on technical innovation, research and development," Ferrari said in a statement on their website.
"But this must all be done with sustainable costs and, above all, must be moved forward as part of a product that can put on a show.
"Because it is the show that draws in the commercial partners, the sponsors and, above all, the fans, who are the real end users of the Formula 1 product."

OK, here's how I'm reading this...

Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo has sent out a cry for help to the not606 F1 forum.

In a letter to Bernie Ecclestone, the FIA, CVC and the UN, Mr Di Montezemolo said
"Our audience figures are declining, it's getting harder to attract sponsors, and Ferrari is unable to build a decent car. We need to bring together the finest minds in our sport, the visionaries, the technical experts, to chart a way forward".
"In short, we need the not606 F1 forum. I call on members of that forum to give us the ideas that will elevate our sport once more. Come to F1's rescue, and write your names into the history of our sport."

So we're not doing this for our own enjoyment. We're doing it for the future of F1. What should F1 do going forward? What should it not do?

Luca and F1 have given us a blank sheet of paper to design whatever rules we like. So let's hear all your ideas - whether they're genius, humorous or ludicrous.

Let's save F1

 

[Mr.B]

You might all be in bed by now, so I'll start...

Tyres - stop artificially messing with tyres to make the degrade quickly.
Driver aids - reduce electronic driver aids - I want cars driven my drivers, not by computers. No traction / launch control, ever again.
Steering wheels - cars must use big skinny steering wheels like they have in old buses.

 

[ched999uk]

No wings at all, all bodywork to be vertical or horizontal (where possible). Pure mechanical grip.

 

[Han Shot First]

I'd experiment with ground effect cars again, makes it easier to overtake the car in front, as it's being sucked onto the road so following another car won't mess up the airflow so much

 

[BrightLampShade]

I'd start by doing away with the stupid tyre rule. Why must teams use both compounds, it just limits the strategical possibilities with no gain?

 

[SgtBhaji]

If you win a race, you are forced to tow a caravan in the following race.

 

[SgtBhaji]

I just thought of a brill new rule. If you drive a red car, you get bonus money, the option to veto rule changes and rule breaking forgiveness.

Oh.... Hang on...

 

[Mr.B]

Cars must play ice cream van music.

 

[Mr.B]

We should probably have something for the serious posts to work towards, so here's my starter for 10. Let me know any changes I should make...

• The rulebook must enable smaller teams to have success in spite of having smaller R&D budgets
• A constructor that builds a better car must be allowed to benefit from their better design
• Constructors with inferior cars must be allowed to improve them during the season
• A constructor must not be unduly disadvantaged by having fewer resources available for in-season R&D
• Only one team order is allowed in reach race, and that order must be declared before the race
• Team orders must relate to the drivers' relative positions in the WDC before the race, or their relative race positions at a specific point during the race
• A team order must be applied before three-quarter race distance
• Telemetry data cannot be used as part of team orders, but can be used to determine whether a race result was manipulated outside of team orders
• There are no mitigating circumstances that allow a change of team orders after the race has started
• A car must not be excessively disadvantaged (e.g. by aerodynamic reliance & disturbance) just because it is close enough to attempt an overtaking manoeuvre
• Taller/heavier drivers must be able to compete on level terms with shorter/lighter drivers

Some questions...
Driver aids - acceptable?
Tyres - single manufacturer, or multiple?
Engines - hybrid? Internal combustion only? Could we have something wacky like any type/configuration of engine is allowed, but with output limited to 900bhp.

All suggestions welcome. Luca did give us free rein, after all.

 

[El_Bando]

Sprinklers and shortcuts.


The only way you can really make close racing is by capping performance bit then it wouldn't be F1. It's a double edged sword.

 

[allsaintchris.]

So Ferrari are having yet another bad year and di Monty comes out and says F1 needs to change again...........

He didn't think that was the case when they were dominating for 5 years, pissing over the rulemakers with their veto's and damaging the sports reputation with their questional team tactics and dodgy decisions on a sporting finish.

 

[allsaintchris.]

I'd experiment with ground effect cars again, makes it easier to overtake the car in front, as it's being sucked onto the road so following another car won't mess up the airflow so much

Provided they can ensure that they can do something to keep the cornering speeds down, such as some kind of disturbance to the airflow underneath the car to negate full ground effect, this is a good idea.

Without a restriction, the speeds the cars could do would be terrifying. The only limit being how much grip the tyres could give.

 

[happyal]

So Ferrari are having yet another bad year and di Monty comes out and says F1 needs to change again...........

He didn't think that was the case when they were dominating for 5 years, pissing over the rulemakers with their veto's and damaging the sports reputation with their questional team tactics and dodgy decisions on a sporting finish.

To be fair he's right in this case. The current show isn't very good, and if we are being honest the show hasn't been any good a at least a season and a half.

The first thing that needs to be changed is to allow the teams to develop their packages during the year, because I think we all know that Mercedes cannot be caught this season.

 

[eddie_squidd]

If they are worried about falling viewers they should do two things:

1) Make all races available live and free to air.
2) Have proper live streaming of all races. Preferably free.

 

[SgtBhaji]

If they are worried about falling viewers they should do two things:

1) Make all races available live and free to air.
2) Have proper live streaming of all races. Preferably free.

Naah.. making it PPV globally, closing down every single stream and removing every last trace of F1 highlights from sites like YouTube is the way to get viewing figures up.

On a serious note though.... Viewing figures would rise significantly if they'd put Bernie in front of a tennis ball launcher and make him dance at the start of every event.

 

[allsaintchris.]

To be fair he's right in this case. The current show isn't very good, and if we are being honest the show hasn't been any good a at least a season and a half.

The first thing that needs to be changed is to allow the teams to develop their packages during the year, because I think we all know that Mercedes cannot be caught this season.

That would also allow Mercedes to further develop their package, so could continue to stay ahead.

So far as the 'show' is concerned, it may be one team, but at least BOTH of their drivers are fighting each other. That cannot be said for the Ferrari or RBR years when it was just one driver walking away with everything.

Monty will not be happy until Ferrari have their advantage back. It all smacks of continued sour grapes from Ferrari and their inability to design a decent car.

 

[BamalamaFizzVaj]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/27869435
So we're not doing this for our own enjoyment. We're doing it for the future of F1. What should F1 do going forward? What should it not do?

Luca and F1 have given us a blank sheet of paper to design whatever rules we like. So let's hear all your ideas - whether they're genius, humorous or ludicrous.

Let's save F1

I'd probably go for something like:

- A heavily restricted internal design; engine, gearbox, weight and power restricted, get rid of the turbo junk and go back to twin exhausts, 1.8-2.0L or more ERS if you want to stick to tiny engines
- Some attempt made to reduce/counteract turbulent air, maybe a mandatory downward angled beam wing to aid down force to any car following close behind
- Wider but shallower rear wings/aero, front wings seem to be ok right now, though i'd maybe bring them forward from the wheels and make them wider to help reduce turbulent air
- Only 1 engine map allowed per race
- Brake by wire is a stupid idea, get rid of it
- FRICs and any method of modifying the suspension on a corner by corner basis banned
- 1 gear ratio per weekend
- Minimum driver + seat weight
- Tyres that get softer as they wear down, could help reduce undercut and make pitting at the right moment harder to anticipate and more risky
- Bring back Refuelling, equipment provided by FIA, there needs to be some kind of unknown element during the race and strategy to pit stops rather than just necessity to comply with the rules
- 3 tyre choices and/or a wider spread and more deg again
- 3rd team car raced by test driver, or maybe a sprint race after Qualifying
- No parc ferme exceptions/exemptions, if anythings broke you start from the back or the pits, or you crash out
- Full Wet tyres that actually get used/double points for races that start under wet conditions
- Points for fastest lap/pole

 

[SgtBhaji]

Put Sand People on every corner!

 

[allsaintchris.]

I'd probably go for something like:

- A heavily restricted internal design; engine, gearbox, weight and power restricted, get rid of the turbo junk and go back to twin exhausts, 1.8-2.0L or more ERS if you want to stick to tiny engines
- Some attempt made to reduce/counteract turbulent air, maybe a mandatory downward angled beam wing to aid down force to any car following close behind
- Wider but shallower rear wings/aero, front wings seem to be ok right now, though i'd maybe bring them forward from the wheels and make them wider to help reduce turbulent air
- Only 1 engine map allowed per race
- Brake by wire is a stupid idea, get rid of it
- FRICs and any method of modifying the suspension on a corner by corner basis banned
- 1 gear ratio per weekend
- Minimum driver + seat weight
- Tyres that get softer as they wear down, could help reduce undercut and make pitting at the right moment harder to anticipate and more risky
- Bring back Refuelling, equipment provided by FIA, there needs to be some kind of unknown element during the race and strategy to pit stops rather than just necessity to comply with the rules
- 3 tyre choices and/or a wider spread and more deg again
- 3rd team car raced by test driver, or maybe a sprint race after Qualifying
- No parc ferme exceptions/exemptions, if anythings broke you start from the back or the pits, or you crash out
- Full Wet tyres that actually get used/double points for races that start under wet conditions
- Points for fastest lap/pole

So pretty much back to 2008 regs for the most part.

Wow, that's progress for you.

 

[Han Shot First]

Put Sand People on every corner!

.