Why a two-tier system won't work: an example from WTCC

[Dave B]

This situation in the World Touring Car Championship illustrates perfectly why a two-tier championsip is unworkable, and why fans would hate it.

SEAT are comfortably leading the championship with their turbo-diesel Leons, the rest of the field using petrol engines. One of the ways the FIA can "equalise" the cars is by restricting their turbo pressure, which is what they've done for Pau.

Now suddenly SEAT, leading the championship remember, can only qualify 15th.

You've got this rediculous situation where the FIA have clearly hampered the diesels far too much... or have they? Maybe the SEATs weren't that brilliant in the first place and only lead the championship becuase they formerly had too much dispensation. Who knows?

By tampering with the regulations in this way the FIA have created a false picture where nobody bar a handful of engineers really knows the true performance of the cars relative to each other. How is the public expected to understand - or care about - that?

SEAT for their part say this is "as a result of the lack of clarity in the technical regulations and the constant rule changes introduced by the FIA in this championship, hindering participants from fighting at the top level on an equal basis".

The full story is on Autosport (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75373), it makes pretty sad reading. We certainly don't want this in F1.

[big_sw2000]

This is the same as LeMans, with the Diesil Audies and Peugeots. BUt i for like this, maybe it might have something to do with there being multi classes, in the championship.

BUt was it 1988 when Nigel Mansell, use to quilify the non turbo Williams Judd on the front row regular.

[Rollo]

BUt was it 1988 when Nigel Mansell, use to quilify the non turbo Williams Judd on the front row regular.

Er...

Mansell only put the car on second once in 1988; that was at the Hungaroring. Every other front row of the 1988 season was occupied with either a McLaren or a Ferrari or two thereof. The usual scenario was Senna-Prost, though the odd occasion would produce Prost Senna.

You can check all 16 races of 1988 here:
http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr468.html
by clicking backwards.

[Mark]

In that case if the diesel engine is faster so be it. Everyone will have to run diesel engines if they want to win. Same as the double diffuser.

[wedge]

Diesels 'class' isn't a good comparison because its well known (if you're into ALMS, etc) that if the ACO allowed true equivalency with the air restrictors the NA cars would be a lot quicker and this could be very well the case with SEAT/WTCC

WTCC is an utter joke to the point the FIA fiddles with the ballast and pile on so much weight no one in the paddock let alone the fans knows the true pace of either car.

I'm not sure it's really a good comparison.

The problem with the proposed rules in F1 is that you can develop the cars far differently. It would be like NA cars allowed to run skirts and ground effects and turbos with basic aero package and rev limit, whereas the ACO and FIA can play with air restrictors and turbo pressure.

[markabilly]

it seems to be dead, but rumor is ferrari will be suing anyway over 2010 regs
something about a veto power

[AndyL]

WTCC isn't much of an example of anything after today, unless it's an example to Mark Webber's critics of what dangerous blocking really is (http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133232).

[woody2goody]

To be fair I don't think the SEAT has ever been a brilliant car on the street circuits.