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Anyone seen the new FIA regs for 2008. He's finally done it folks. F1 as we knew it has been murdered. I'm dialling 999 as we speak....
Comments
Btw, who's number is 999??
The split wings won't happen because those in the know already have determined that they won't achieve their intended goal of allowing passing by smoothing the airflow aft of the centreline of the car.
I agree that F1 is comming to the end of a phase. The four-car teams and absence of independants is what is killing it. All of this is grist for Ron's mill as he works towards setting up his own championship.
What F1 desparately needs is someone well placed who isn't afraid to tell it straight and stand up to the FIA. Now where ya gonna find someone like that?
Emergency telephone numbers: In Oz, we have always used 000, the Poms 999, and the USA used 911. These numbers are chosen as they were almost impossible to dial accidently in the days of rotating diallers. The US one was the cleverest because it also saved around 5 seconds waiting for the dialler to return to the stop. Doesn't matter now of course, except that the global village thing means that travellers now have to be aware of the emergancy number in the country they are visiting.
I remember that in the past 911or999 was the nr in Spain but they had to change it a few years ago to 112 when all the EU countries did.
I expect Bernie to do a Don King and go to where the money is...
The problem with F1 IS that people are standing up to the FIA. They can't get anything done. Sit down, shut up, and let them do what they need to. This United Nations approach isn't going to work, because the powerful teams (Ferrari, for example) are going to do what they want. Look, not everything is going to be perfect. Mistakes will be made when trying to make the product better. But as it is, when the FIA then tries to change it again to try and fix it, people bitch then too.
Let them do their job.
Can't we just allow bigger engines again? I mean, if they really want the back wing that's okay with me. But that wing and a V8 engine. That's just plain wrong.
Careful, Max ight hear you and besides pedals would give Schummi and unfair advantage as he has trained with Lance Armstrong
Last year the tyre manufacturers spent millions developping one rcae tyres to be thrown out next year.
He seems to have lost the basic premise that if you want to cut downforce you then can't allow teams to claw it back by sticking appendages on the upper bodywork. That causes extra drag and kills the overtaking.
Too often now Moseley suggestions for cutting costs will result in an actual escalation in money spent. As long as F1 is competitive, teams will spend money to win. The problem is that he's now askig teams to spend millions on concepts that are untested. CDG wing? you just have to look at the behaviour of the spray of water off the rear tyres to know that its not an effective idea.
Moseley has done a lot for the sport interms of safety. But now I'm afraid in the interest of compromise he really needs to retire.
Also, making a rule is the only way to find how teams find loopholes. Then you make new rules to eliminate those loopholes, and continue to do so as long as they keep finding them, which is probably forever.
Some people ARE saying the FIA shouldn't govern the sport. Some people would like to see the GPMA or whatever they call themselves these days take over the sport. But would that really work? Hell no. The manufacturers will never stay united. It may work for a season or two, while they're all united against the FIA, but then they'll realize that they're in competition with each other, and it will fall apart. And the FIA's power is limited as it is. The teams have too much power. I come from a NASCAR point-of-view here. NASCAR makes the rules, the teams follow the rules. And, I'll mention that NASCAR is running pretty damn smooth right now, as opposed to F1, which unarguably isn't.
Every 'cost-cutting' measure actually adds expense (see tyres and engines). The FIA should create a stable framework, something, unarguably, it has not. The CDG wing must be a piss-take because no serious designer, including those retired, thinks it will achieve its aim.
The single change which would slash costs would be complete reform of testing.
[Edited on 28/12/2005 by viges]
Simply restricting the number of tyres a team can use at a GP weekend and then saying that they can only test with these tyres between a Gp weekend is the simplest solution.
Lets say after a race each team has 3 sets left over, that limits them ti 300 km between races. In addition any new developments on the tyre front would have to be intriduced at a GP weekend. The result is more unpredictability. There would be no need to have just one tyre supplier. If the FIA can place restrictions on engines, then why not tyres.
Too many people are willing to take Moseley's views as gospel but he has an ulterior motive.
I see no reason why the GPMA could not set up a viable alternative championship they already have most of the big sponsors in the sport and most of the technology as well.
The testing rule sounds good to me. I'm not saying there aren't better ways than what the FIA is trying, but I'm saying they aren't doing that bad of a job. Also, I can't see why money is a problem now, as the whole sport is basically manufacturer run. Only Midland isn't owner/doesn't get major manufacturer support (SA does, obviously,) and people question their commitment anyway. All the other teams already spend too much as it is, maybe the FIA can actually make them use their money on something useful.
EDIT: Also Williams, who I forgot, but I think they'll still spend a good amount of money, considering they have a sponsor. It would be an odd track when both Williams and McLaren (for this season) are unsponsored.
[Edited on 1/1/2006 by Rekart]
Sticking with V10 engines and working on lasting longer would have saved way more money than developing V8's , then eventually making those last longer. Mosley can't seem to make up his mind on what he wants F1 to do, and changing these ideas each season is costing more and more. I'm with Petrol, Mosley should retire.
At this point personally I believe an independent techinical group or a majority rules group of technical personnel from the teams should be making the rules and the only part the FIA should serve is enforcing them.
My only dispute with that is that NASCAR is not exaclty cutting edge... it's more like WWF than racing. it's a big show! There is no TECHNICAL in NASCAR. Hell, they don't even qualify as STOCK cars anymore! Yea, the bump and grind is neat and there is some competition for sure but certainly there is not ANY technical innovation takign place that can change the indsutry or being otn the edge of new materails an aero in NASCAR
That is not to say that F1 is not a show. Damn, there are more primadonna's in F1 that I have seen anywhere else. But where else can you fnd the TOP END of development? F1 still remains cutting edge...
Perhaps the newest in innovation is going to come from the Tuner's and Drifing crowds??
Whenever big sponser dollars get involved it always detracts from any sport. the fun an innovation get bumped to the side for the sake of hitting the middle of the bell shaped curve on marketing dollars. With the movement to all the mfg teams I think the sport is going to wallow for a couple of years unless something or someone gives.
Maybe the real answer is to limit the budgets! make everyone operate at the same cash limit. It would force everyone to come up with NEW innovations while keeping the rules a bit more fluid to see who can come up with newer tech stuff that can help the drivers shine.
"You can't let the teams run the sport, it just won't work." Let's all remember that all of these series started with a bunch of guys who got toegether just to go fast andhave fun. If anyoen can figure out how to keep that "spirit" alive then they've found the key to it all.
I used to read a magazine - something like Racecar Engine Tech - and they did a whole issue re NASCAR engine dev and its transfer to endurance car racing in specific LeMans.
They also have taken the Watts link to its developmental zenith as well.
Other than that I agree - put a cage around it and makeup on the drivers and viola its WWF!
Compare:
V8 Supercar - 5.0 litre fuel injected V8, 650hp. Rev limited to 7,500 rpm
NASCAR - 5.9 litre carburhetted V8, 800hp. 9,000 rpm and counting
In a nice symetry, the NASCAR engine gets the same power as an F1 engine at twice the capacity, but half the revs.