Ballast

[wedge]

There seems to be a consensus in the paddock that the current weight limit should be revised.

Steve Matchett wrote an article in F1 Racing some months ago: http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/39403/ and the other week Gary Anderson suggested in an article in Autosport that the weight limit should be lowered slightly so that there could be more ballast to play with if aero aids were banned.

Thoughts?

[passmeatissue]

There seems to be a consensus in the paddock that the current weight limit should be revised.

Steve Matchett wrote an article in F1 Racing some months ago: http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/39403/ and the other week Gary Anderson suggested in an article in Autosport that the weight limit should be lowered slightly so that there could be more ballast to play with if aero aids were banned.

Thoughts?

Sounds the other way round - lower weight = less ballast.

Originally the weight limit was a safety thing, so Colin Chapman's cars didn't completely fold up if they had a crash, so if they're all using ballast it would make sense to lower it. Personally I think adjustments like ballast that we fans never know about detract from the spectacle.

But they'd have to cut the aero to match or braking distances would get even shorter.

[ChrisS]

Sounds the other way round - lower weight = less ballast.

Originally the weight limit was a safety thing, so Colin Chapman's cars didn't completely fold up if they had a crash, so if they're all using ballast it would make sense to lower it. Personally I think adjustments like ballast that we fans never know about detract from the spectacle.

But they'd have to cut the aero to match or braking distances would get even shorter.

I agree the minimum weight of the car should be lowered

we cant know the actual ballast in the car but some times when retired cars are lifted by the crane we can see that they actually swing to the front despite all the heavy parts (engine, gearbox, etc...) being at the rear of the car.

[Valve Bounce]

For awhile, I thought this was another thread about Ralfie. :eek: