DesertPenguin
(Banned)
- 10,691
- Long Island, New York
- DesertPenguin_
Just the fact that Renault powered Toro Rosso and now they don't. It's a joke...
Just the fact that Renault powered Toro Rosso and now they don't. It's a joke...
It's just a joke... if it doesn't make sense then fine. But please move on, the horse died 5 minutes ago.
Several teams will be providing aerodynamics data to Formula 1's tech department to help develop regulations in the future.
So... they need to see the CFD data in order to come up with what is the obvious answer?
IMO, the mechanical grip level from the tyres is fine.Formula 1 wants two opposing things:
1) Faster lap times. By now this is mostly down to more grip/more aero.
2) More passing.
Those two simply don't work. Until we see F1 reduce driver aids, reduce tires or aero, etc. you simply won't see it. Ricciardo came out the other day and stated he believes the cars do too much of the work - and I agree. You can't have faster, more technically brilliant cars and somehow hope you stumble upon amazing racing.
The obvious answer would be to simplify the aerodynamics.
Yes, the 2017 rules ticked the box marked "5-6 second improvement in lap time", but they did nothing to improve the range of which the cars could follow, and pass, each other. If anything, unintentionally or otherwise, they made it worse.
The solution is actually quite simple. The engine modes need to be reduced massively. Currently there's like 200 different settings and engine could run at, just put it in the regulations that they are allowed 5 only. One quali full power one, one fuel saving recharge setting, and 3 somewhere in between.
That way, it's very easy for people to be on vastly different engine setting when they get to each other, and aren't allowed to slightly increase "Magic 3" or some other bovinepoo to make the car slightly faster at one point on the track so overtakes can't happen.
Put regulations in that gives a cooldown timer after each engine mode is selected in the race. Maybe overtake mode can be switched off whenever, but if you go into full save mode, it takes 3 laps before you can change it up again. Makes each mode more tactical.
I don't think refueling really fits in with the current engine ethos of 'efficiency'.
If they want more overtaking but still quick lap times, they should allow ground effects again - the circuits currently are safe enough if something fails, which was the reason they were banned originally. If you do this you can regulate single-plane front wings (rear wings would then have to be simpler to maintain aero-balance) and this should reduce turbulence for following cars and then increase braking distances by banning carbon-ceramic discs. This shouldn't slow cars over a lap, just make them both quicker and slower at the points that matter for close racing.
Most of what you said is reasonable other than the carbon ceramic, you'd want more ability to stop a car the sooner you feel it may be getting out of hand. Plus the pinnacle racing series going backward in tech also doesn't fit the ethos.
True about tech going backwards, but with potentially higher cornering speeds you've got to try and slow them down in the braking areas otherwise you are just creating less chances for overtaking. You could maybe make the tyres harder across the range but no one wants to see races with no pit stops either. Carbon brake technology only has a limited cross-over into road car usage anyway, especially with the trend to cars getting lighter and regenerative braking on hybrids and full electrics.
I hope F1 in the future can hope to bring in more tyre brands for open competition, less predictability on what package works the best at each track and condition is more enjoyable.
I think for a series like F1 N/A engines mated to electric power is better for the sport then turbos, its harder to find extra power from an N/A engine then a Turbo one so engine performance should be closer whilst still keeping each engine individual.
To improve overtaking a more simple solution then trying to understand how to make the aero better for racing would be to make the cars harder to drive if the drivers are struggling to keep the car smooth it will open more chances for drivers to capitalise on each others mistakes.
Make the cars have really short wheel bases or something to make them more twitchy and remove power steering to add more fitness element.
Problem is you probably wont see more tire brands, Brawn and the FIA wouldn't be too keen on it, considering what it did prior. Drove prices high, exclusive tires to certain teams to be dominant, and pushing other brands out of the picture. Then there is the consideration that many of these tire manufactures, like automotive manufactures, want to develop a tire that is road relevant and the current size format is far from it. I'd like tire competition and more brands but the desires between tire companies and F1 seem different at this point
We've seen in times past how easy it is to have disparity in N/A engines between groups, the "great" Renault V8 had to have massive help in 2009/10 to fix problems that made it unreliable after the engines and been development frozen.
The last two points I agree with especially ending power steering, though I'd imagine F1 would argue with doing so, since every racing series has it.
I saw an article earlier that says F1 teams are considering having a scrolling digital ticker fitted to the Halo, to allow further commercial opportunities.