New rules & spreading the field...

[MAX_THRUST]

AS per the article on Autosport site, what are your opinions on the new rules and the feild subsequently spreading out?

I have enjoyed the fact the teams are so closely matched at each event we go to, and the fact one week Renault might be third on the grid and the next week 12th.

I love the idea of going back to slicks and less areo. Will it can it make such a huge difference.......?

[Knock-on]

AS per the article on Autosport site, what are your opinions on the new rules and the feild subsequently spreading out?

I have enjoyed the fact the teams are so closely matched at each event we go to, and the fact one week Renault might be third on the grid and the next week 12th.

I love the idea of going back to slicks and less areo. Will it can it make such a huge difference.......?

You and Peter Windsor haven't much in common then :D

[jens]

Link here too:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69774

Well, I don't quite think it'll spread the field out dramatically. We have a lot of talented teams with good resources. The article mentions the last bigger rule changes in 2006, but back then the field wasn't quite remarkably spread out, Top10 in qualifying weren't usually covered by much more than a second.

Well, in 2009 the last (Force India?) may indeed lose 3 seconds per lap instead of 2 it often loses now. And as Top10 in qualifying has been covered by 0,5 at times, it may rise up to a full second plus a few extra tenths again. But I quite don't think these are the changes anyone will be annoyed about. In the last years such gaps were quite normal, it's only 2008 when the competition has become extremely tight. 2009 will simply return to pre-2008 era in terms of time differences.

Or does anyone expect a replay of the 1997 Australian Grand Prix qualifying, when Villeneuve beat the second guy by 1,7 seconds? :p :

[Miatanut]

...and the fact one week Renault might be third on the grid and the next week 12th....
I think the new rules would not decrease this sort of effect at all, and maybe even increase it.

As for a general spreading out of the field, as a gearhead, that doesn't bother me at all. I want to see a battle of technology, and that's what we'll see. In the good old days, Jim Hall would have everybody covered in qualifying, and then break down in the race. Made for exciting racing. Not of the manufactured close finish variety, but of REAL racing.

[ArrowsFA1]

A major change in the rules generally advantages the better funded teams on the grid and so the gap between the front and back will almost inevitably increase. The longer the rules remain stable, as they have in recent years, the more chance smaller teams have to close the gap to the front.

[Mark]

With such big changes we are likely to see one team that gets it 'right' and others who fall back. Like in 1996 when Williams interpreted the head restraint rules differently to everyone else and dominated.

[MAX_THRUST]

I don't know who Peter Windsor is, is he related to the Queen ? lol

[wedge]

I fear the development KERS will cause a large spread in the field because it seems to be an unknown in F1.

Rule changes can work 2 ways. Either the bigger teams will jump forward because of the resources they have or it levels the playing field to some extent as seen with Renaults' rise in '03, Ferrari's downfall in 2005, the common ECU we have now.

What I really would like to see is cars following each other a lot closer before, into and after the faster corners. Whether the P2P system is/would be too much of a gimmick in F1, I don't know but I'll be looking forward to it so I can form a rounded opinion.

[V12]

I think the new rules would not decrease this sort of effect at all, and maybe even increase it.

As for a general spreading out of the field, as a gearhead, that doesn't bother me at all. I want to see a battle of technology, and that's what we'll see. In the good old days, Jim Hall would have everybody covered in qualifying, and then break down in the race. Made for exciting racing. Not of the manufactured close finish variety, but of REAL racing.

Hear hear.

What I miss is the days when some teams would have the best reliability, some the best power, some the best qualifying performance, some the best tyre usage, some the best downforce levels. Teams on different tyres, etc. Made for an interesting amount of variation of each team's relative performance from track to track.

Now its all about the optimal "package", spec tyres etc. which in turn require artificial qualifying and race rules just to attempt to keep things superficially "interesting"...

[carracing]

I hate when any series starts messing with the rules. Like they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Look at NASCAR - they started tweaking with the rules and now the teams/drivers and fans are P.O.'d. Let's hope F1 takes a long look at what happened to NASCAR and doesn't let it go too far! :confused:

[speeddurango]

... Like they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Look ...

It ain't broke? Look how people are constantly bi***ing about F1 these days, from tracks to cars to drivers to TV directing to lack of action in Free practices bla bla bla bla bla, I thought F1 was too broke these days that it's going to go bankcrupt in the next minutes. :eek:

[carracing]

It ain't broke? Look how people are constantly bi***ing about F1 these days, from tracks to cars to drivers to TV directing to lack of action in Free practices bla bla bla bla bla, I thought F1 was too broke these days that it's going to go bankcrupt in the next minutes. :eek:

OK - good point... it IS broke - but I still hate to see them do too much too fast. Maybe make some track changes, definitely get F1 out there on TV more - we have a hard time finding/seeing anything on a regular basis - and maybe make it more accessible to the press. Other racing series like NASCAR, ARCA, WRC, SCCA, etc. are more free/open with information, thereby encouraging more media outlets to promote the sport, drivers, teams, races and get the news out there to the fans. I know from personal experience that it's rough to get F1 media/news/press for fan sites. VERY frustrating.

So you changed my mind - yes, fix what's broken but just don't go overboard!

:)

[V12]

It's broke now 'cos they tried fixing it when it wasn't broke :)

[MAX_THRUST]

I think allowing tyre warmers spoils our fun as fans.....

What rules wind you up.

For me safety car rules and closing the pitts. I think they should be open at all times unless they are blocked by Lewis and Kimi having a moment. Stop all this packing up behind the pace car, let the guys in the pitt. If it goes yellow and you miss the pit entrance by a second, tough, most people will benefit and it would mean less cars queing in pitt lane for service as well, it would still happen I'm sure.

[mattlamb]

Ban refuelling. Every car should run on minimum fuel in qualifying and fuel to the end of the race.
This way people would just pit for tyres - or maybe some people would not pit at all. You would see who has the quickest outright one lap pace (ie: level fuel qualifying) and people would try to overtake more in the race because maybe the driver in front would be running non-stop.
Plus refuelling has a safety risk for no entertainment increase.

[Miatanut]

Ban refuelling. Every car should run on minimum fuel in qualifying and fuel to the end of the race.
This way people would just pit for tyres - or maybe some people would not pit at all. You would see who has the quickest outright one lap pace (ie: level fuel qualifying) and people would try to overtake more in the race because maybe the driver in front would be running non-stop.
Plus refuelling has a safety risk for no entertainment increase.

The cars used to carry enough fuel to run the whole race. It made them rolling bombs.

I would not care to go back to those days.