opinionated ow
03-29-09, 08:39 AM
So, we're one race in and I can't help feeling a little disappointed in the whole saga. I feel a level of artificiality has entered the sport I love, as if the only reason for the "interest" is because it has become entertainment not sport.
The primary example of this is the tyres. I am completely against control tyres, and I think the presence of them is a scourge upon the pinnacle of motorsport. The then mandated usage of two tyre compounds (stolen from an incredibly desecrated Champ Car) turned each race into a crapshoot as the team's were forced to juggle an inferior set of tyres. Ironically in an attempt to do something, the current change has made this situation even worse! You have a situation where cars are passed because they are forced to run on rubbish tyres, and that's just contrived. It's not sport. Kimi Raikkonnen said it best on One HD the other day, "The grooved tyres were not so good, the slicks are a bit better. But because there is no competition, the tyres are not as good as they can be. At least when we had competition you had the best tyres and that was a good feeling." This is the pinnacle of motorsport, sticky slick tyres without a control tyre should be mandated!
KERS is irrelevant and gimmicky. Whilst high tech and at least free in design, it is nothing more than a push to pass button, the limits on which make it practically useless. If they are so determined to use hybrid power in the cars, why not allow unlimited storage so that the teams can use it to its greatest possible power extent? It takes away from the purity of the sport however; it's the equivalent of fitting a flyweight to one side of a football to make it even more unpredictable in flight. As it is, its just a waste of time and money, if motorsport gets concerned that much with the environment then I think it is time to get into a nursing home.
New aerodynamic rules exist why? Sure the cars are prettier, apart from those wings which just look plain awful. As Martin Brundle said, "that front wing scares small children." And from what I saw there wasn't much difference in following the cars anyway. Why can't they just set aero rules similar to Formula 3 cars which have no difficulty following at all! More wasted money and limits on design allowances...
The ridiculous concept of a spec ECU and an arbitrary engine revolution cap "to save costs" is crazy. Formula One is about being the pinnacle. Castrating a racing engine doesn't scream pinnacle. Pinnacle screams open design (the FIA have even mandated it must be a 90° V8) with a capacity limit, the ability to change engines and transmissions as needed and the option to be innovative. The engine rules don't any longer.
And getting to the sporting regulations, why did the removal of one car from the circuit require a 5 lap safety car! The FIA has mandated a time period for the cars to get to the pits/rejoin the conga line! Why?!? Enforce the requirement to slow down in the affected region, but why for heaven's sake can't the cars drive at normal speed back to the queue or the pits? Don't tell me is safety because we all know that there won't be people on the track at any other point! It's completely daft...
And then there is the ridiculous unlapping concept. If you end up a lap down its tough titties to you! You haven't travelled fast enough at this time to allow you to regain your lap. Its not up to race control to artificially bring you back into contention! It's all about providing entertainment to the small minded, not about providing sport.
So, this is meant to be sport but because someone told the FIA that people can't understand sport they make it into a "spectacle." I'm disappointed. Lets face it, the major audiences for this sport are Europe and to a lesser extent Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. These are all countries/regions with proud sporting culture. They can follow something that goes for 90 minutes non stop. So who are the FIA trying to pander to? It's not young people because the crowds at Football, Rugby and Cricket matches are getting younger not older, its not old people because they know what to expect. So who is it? Who told the FIA they were in the entertainment business? They're not! They're providing a sport as entertainment, and until the reverse all these ludicrous decisions I'm going to remain really s*****. PLEASE FIA give us back our sport!
Anyway in my current mood of annoyance, I propose these regulations...
Engine:
-Swept Displacement of 3L
-Naturally Aspirated spark ignition engine (i.e. allowing 2 stroke, 4 stroke, rotary or whatever you choose)
-No maximum or minimum number of cylinders/rotors, no mandated engine design.
Chassis
-Wider maximum rear track than current cars
-Unlimited number of wheels
-Maximum of two wheel drive
-No requirement for engine placement
-Crashworthiness testing to current or future required levels.
-Maximum wing size but no limits on how this is achieved.
-Flat bottom
-Unlimited fuel cell size
-Minimum 600kg weight
-Current wheel and tyre size but no requirement to purchase from one supplier
Sporting Regulations
-All races to be held over a number of laps equivalent to that required to surpass 300km + 1 lap or 2 hours, whichever occurs first. Race to commence at 1400 local time.
-20 minute warm up session on Sunday morning.
-Qualifying to be one 45 minute session for all including usage of qualifying engine should it be so desired.
-Three 90 minute practice session to be held over Friday and Saturday
The primary example of this is the tyres. I am completely against control tyres, and I think the presence of them is a scourge upon the pinnacle of motorsport. The then mandated usage of two tyre compounds (stolen from an incredibly desecrated Champ Car) turned each race into a crapshoot as the team's were forced to juggle an inferior set of tyres. Ironically in an attempt to do something, the current change has made this situation even worse! You have a situation where cars are passed because they are forced to run on rubbish tyres, and that's just contrived. It's not sport. Kimi Raikkonnen said it best on One HD the other day, "The grooved tyres were not so good, the slicks are a bit better. But because there is no competition, the tyres are not as good as they can be. At least when we had competition you had the best tyres and that was a good feeling." This is the pinnacle of motorsport, sticky slick tyres without a control tyre should be mandated!
KERS is irrelevant and gimmicky. Whilst high tech and at least free in design, it is nothing more than a push to pass button, the limits on which make it practically useless. If they are so determined to use hybrid power in the cars, why not allow unlimited storage so that the teams can use it to its greatest possible power extent? It takes away from the purity of the sport however; it's the equivalent of fitting a flyweight to one side of a football to make it even more unpredictable in flight. As it is, its just a waste of time and money, if motorsport gets concerned that much with the environment then I think it is time to get into a nursing home.
New aerodynamic rules exist why? Sure the cars are prettier, apart from those wings which just look plain awful. As Martin Brundle said, "that front wing scares small children." And from what I saw there wasn't much difference in following the cars anyway. Why can't they just set aero rules similar to Formula 3 cars which have no difficulty following at all! More wasted money and limits on design allowances...
The ridiculous concept of a spec ECU and an arbitrary engine revolution cap "to save costs" is crazy. Formula One is about being the pinnacle. Castrating a racing engine doesn't scream pinnacle. Pinnacle screams open design (the FIA have even mandated it must be a 90° V8) with a capacity limit, the ability to change engines and transmissions as needed and the option to be innovative. The engine rules don't any longer.
And getting to the sporting regulations, why did the removal of one car from the circuit require a 5 lap safety car! The FIA has mandated a time period for the cars to get to the pits/rejoin the conga line! Why?!? Enforce the requirement to slow down in the affected region, but why for heaven's sake can't the cars drive at normal speed back to the queue or the pits? Don't tell me is safety because we all know that there won't be people on the track at any other point! It's completely daft...
And then there is the ridiculous unlapping concept. If you end up a lap down its tough titties to you! You haven't travelled fast enough at this time to allow you to regain your lap. Its not up to race control to artificially bring you back into contention! It's all about providing entertainment to the small minded, not about providing sport.
So, this is meant to be sport but because someone told the FIA that people can't understand sport they make it into a "spectacle." I'm disappointed. Lets face it, the major audiences for this sport are Europe and to a lesser extent Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. These are all countries/regions with proud sporting culture. They can follow something that goes for 90 minutes non stop. So who are the FIA trying to pander to? It's not young people because the crowds at Football, Rugby and Cricket matches are getting younger not older, its not old people because they know what to expect. So who is it? Who told the FIA they were in the entertainment business? They're not! They're providing a sport as entertainment, and until the reverse all these ludicrous decisions I'm going to remain really s*****. PLEASE FIA give us back our sport!
Anyway in my current mood of annoyance, I propose these regulations...
Engine:
-Swept Displacement of 3L
-Naturally Aspirated spark ignition engine (i.e. allowing 2 stroke, 4 stroke, rotary or whatever you choose)
-No maximum or minimum number of cylinders/rotors, no mandated engine design.
Chassis
-Wider maximum rear track than current cars
-Unlimited number of wheels
-Maximum of two wheel drive
-No requirement for engine placement
-Crashworthiness testing to current or future required levels.
-Maximum wing size but no limits on how this is achieved.
-Flat bottom
-Unlimited fuel cell size
-Minimum 600kg weight
-Current wheel and tyre size but no requirement to purchase from one supplier
Sporting Regulations
-All races to be held over a number of laps equivalent to that required to surpass 300km + 1 lap or 2 hours, whichever occurs first. Race to commence at 1400 local time.
-20 minute warm up session on Sunday morning.
-Qualifying to be one 45 minute session for all including usage of qualifying engine should it be so desired.
-Three 90 minute practice session to be held over Friday and Saturday