Demands on drivers 'unacceptable'

[Woolley]

I don't think fighter pilots have too many problems with lots of buttons and controls. Maybe that's the answer to too much technology in F1. Make a rule that says no buttons, dials or knobs allowed in the cockpit for safety reasons - poor darlings might stub a finger on one.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

I'd agree.
I may be a dinosaur but I would happily do away with all the buttons, radios and telemetry and have an H shift gear lever in the cockpit and oil and water gauges along with the rev counter.

Strangely enough, most modern road vehicles are still closer to this type of technology than anything used currently in F1. I had thought that at least by now, we'd all be using 'flappy paddle' gear boxes.

Originally Posted by Teretonga

Technology bores me. I want to see a contest in its purest form, driver against driver.

I suppose it's just too easy to have technology just for the sake of having technology. Gone are the days when we didn't used to have a half mile of 'spaghetti' connecting the accelerator pedal to the throttle butterfly. But that's progress I suppose.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Woolley

I don't think fighter pilots have too many problems with lots of buttons and controls. Maybe that's the answer to too much technology in F1. Make a rule that says no buttons, dials or knobs allowed in the cockpit for safety reasons - poor darlings might stub a finger on one.

Yes but they are flying through air, not trying to suggest that is an easy task by any means... Slightly different when you are on tarmac at 380 KPH!

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Yes but they are flying through air, not trying to suggest that is an easy task by any means... Slightly different when you are on tarmac at 380 KPH!

Ripping through a valley at 500 knots 100 feet off the ground with nothing but solid ground around you or twiddling a switch at 300kph with a couple of hectares of lovely run off in front of you.

[Knowlesy]

I feel sorry for them. They are just not paid enough for what they do. This life of hardship. I weep for them. Can you imagine the horror of being dumped in Monte Carlo, on a Thursday of all days, and being told to drive round in circles quickly AND being required to press some brightly coloured buttons. I mean, terrible. And to make matters worse you'd be expected to then board a private jet with your stunning girlfriend and fly to your expensive (feel the pinch in these hard times) Swiss chalet where nobody can bother you and your servants serve you the finest food and drink as you survey the wreckage of your life.

I don't know how these guys manage to not opt for suicide. Heroes all of them.

[Bononi]

That's very funny... the pinnacle of the motorsport, the top of the technology and they still use buttons !

[JABWOA]

I think Ferrari are just concerned that the drivers may actually interfere with their superior pitwall stratagies and with all the thinking in the cockpit may actually question why they are going to shadow Webber into the pits...

[Marbot]

You'd think that with all that technology, there would at least be an 'auto-pilot' button.

[Super Hans]

And here's the most important Button in F1.

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Give them a manual stick shift as well, (which is what it should be anyway).

Originally Posted by Teretonga

I'd agree.
I may be a dinosaur but I would happily do away with all the buttons, radios and telemetry and have an H shift gear lever in the cockpit and oil and water gauges along with the rev counter.

Technology bores me. I want to see a contest in its purest form, driver against driver.

If only, instead of racing hotted up go karts we might have drivers actually making mistakes that cost a position with missed gear changes or an over rev. All we need to do then is get rid of tarmac runoff and carbon fibre brakes.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Marbot

I suppose it's just too easy to have technology just for the sake of having technology. Gone are the days when we didn't used to have a half mile of 'spaghetti' connecting the accelerator pedal to the throttle butterfly. But that's progress I suppose.

Drive by wire sucks. Give me a ha;f mile of 'spaghetti' over it anyday.

[steve_r]

X Accelerate
□ Brake
▲ Kers
O Rear Wing
R1 / L1 Brake Bias
R2 / L2 ARB
Select - Pit lane limiter
Start - Pause

[GolddustMini]

Originally Posted by steve_r

X Accelerate
□ Brake
▲ Kers
O Rear Wing
R1 / L1 Brake Bias
R2 / L2 ARB
Select - Pit lane limiter
Start - Pause

ive got a kinnect, all i need to do is wave at the screen and make brum brum noises

[Greem]

Originally Posted by GolddustMini

ive got a kinnect, all i need to do is wave at the screen and make brum brum noises

I've got one too, but running at the telly means I never get past the first corner...

[Marbot]

Interesting to note that 2011 FIA WRC cars now have a manual sequential gear-shift i.e. no electronic paddle shifters.

[stripedcat]

Thinking back to the turbo era of F1 - drivers had control of the turbo boost as well as having to use a clutch and manual gears - they didn't seem to complain too much about it then.

As someone else mentioned - what about when F1 went techno crazy in 1993 with ABS, traction control, active ride and so on?

I would love to a H shift and clutch back in F1 - but realistically I can see that it will never happen. Every other single seater race formula uses the flappy paddles. Plus around Monaco I could see there is a valid case for saying that for safety's sake you need a sequential gearbox. I agree it would help with some overtaking, missing a gear was an excellent way to get the jump on the car in front sometimes.

[Cougar]

Originally Posted by Woolley

... Make a rule that says no buttons, dials or knobs allowed in the cockpit for safety reasons ...

Did I miss it? Cant believe it hasnt been done...

...

wait for it... drum roll please...

...

...


Jenson wont be pleased with that rule!!!



WHERE IS MY COAT!!!

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

Thinking back to the turbo era of F1 - drivers had control of the turbo boost as well as having to use a clutch and manual gears - they didn't seem to complain too much about it then.
They didn't have all the screens to read ansd switching from screen to screen requires visual refocussing
As someone else mentioned - what about when F1 went techno crazy in 1993 with ABS, traction control, active ride and so on?
Still not as many buttons and the codes actually require the brain to shift from the road watching into an analytical mode even just for an instant.I would love to a H shift and clutch back in F1 - but realistically I can see that it will never happen. Make a rule.... We went back to groved tyres, increased weight in an age of space age lighter stronger materials, wtc. WRC has gone away from paddles...Every other single seater race formula uses the flappy paddles.

Plus around Monaco I could see there is a valid case for saying that for safety's sake you need a sequential gearbox. ..

Thats rich! Montezemolo and Alonso say too many buttons are a distraction so really maybe unsafe especially if its a round a circuit where you have no runoff... You say you need paddles because the drivers may make a mistake with so much to do so need the paddles to assist them....

Thats why I don't believe modern F1 is what historically F1 was about. Its not only a different era, but simply not the same anymore....

[Pingguest]

To a certain extent I understand Ferrari's concern. With the current g-forces and speeds, the demands to the drivers could have reached unacceptable levels. That's why I never understood the introduction of the movable rear wing. Due the enormous stress the introduction of the movable front wing was a failure already. So, why would a movable rear wing suddenly work?

All tools changing the entire behaviour of the car during the race (e.g. movable aerodynamics, electronic differential, drive-by-wire, etc.) and technology assisting the proper use of those (e.g. telemetry), should be regarded as driver aids and therefore be banned. Only changing (unprogrammed) engine settings (rev-limiter, KERS boost, etc.) should be allowed.

[E.B]

Of course if they feel that it is a problem for the drivers to cope with all these buttons and options, there is a simple answer to it all...... DONT FIT THEM!

Just leave them off and the problem goes away!

I know its a bit like the knocking noise in the engine that goes away when the radio volume is turned up but.....

The drivers are way too mollycoddled as it is these days .

[ECW Dan Selby]

That's a good point, E.B.

I think many would agree that safety may have gone too far in modern-day Formula One (others may disagree). But with ample run-offs, the finest monocoques/crash structures we've ever seen, the sport is clearly the safest it's ever been. That much is unarguable.

So to introduce more 'gadgets' as it were, may be a good way of compensating. The point has been raised that it was, in fairness, all used in 1993. The drivers coped ok with it. The flipside of the argument would be that the g-forces have never been stronger - but, as mentioned above, the safety is at its peak as far as heinsight goes.

Many people can't argue that they feel the drivers need to be 'more challenged' - this would surely be a way of challenging them more without being needlessly dangerous?

And Pingguest, I did think the same at first. I was very pessimistic in regards to the whole adjustable rear wing theory - but the more I think about it, hear about it, and see it, the more I think it's worth a shot over the next two seasons. Especially in qualifying where the drivers can use it as much or as little as they want. Putting in the 'right' qualifying lap will now be more challenging than ever, and that can only be a positive.

Selby

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

And Pingguest, I did think the same at first. I was very pessimistic in regards to the whole adjustable rear wing theory - but the more I think about it, hear about it, and see it, the more I think it's worth a shot over the next two seasons. Especially in qualifying where the drivers can use it as much or as little as they want. Putting in the 'right' qualifying lap will now be more challenging than ever, and that can only be a positive.

Selby

I still oppose the introduction of the movable rear wing. Without movable aerodynamics drivers will have to find a compromise between lower downforce, lower drag and higher straight line speeds on one hand and higher downforce, higher drag and higher cornering speeds on the other hand. With a proper, non-artificial implementation of movable aerodynamics the drivers would get the best of both. This not only compromises the challenge for finding the right set-up, it also raises a clear safety issue.

As per 2011 this all counts for qualifying but doesn't for the race, as drivers are only allowed to change the rear wing under certain conditions. Instead, the FIA opted for, if it does work, completely artificial regulations harming the creditability of Formula 1.

What's next? The standardized ECU making engines to misfire if the driver is leading by 30 seconds? Less grippy tyres for the world championship leader? A lowered minimum weight for the back starters? No post-qualifying parc fermé for those crashing during qualifying? Without any doubt Formula 1 is on a slippery slope.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Totally fair points, mate.

My argument would be that until we see them in action this season, it's quite difficult to say as to whether they'll be dangerous/a failure etc.

It's certainly interesting, but I do see your point how it sets a precident and is the beginning of a potential slippery slope.

Selby

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by steve_r

X Accelerate
□ Brake
▲ Kers
O Rear Wing
R1 / L1 Brake Bias
R2 / L2 ARB
Select - Pit lane limiter
Start - Pause

"Alonso is right on Hamilton's gear box as they approach turn one and what?! It appears that Alonso has pulled off a "ground pound" combo attack causing Hamilton to loose traction under braking and spin off!"

All joking aside, if they try to limit the number of buttons, you will end up with the same solution to get around this on video game consoles. You will just have to string together a sequence of button activations to enable special functions. Assuming they don't do that already.

[stripedcat]

Maybe the F1 teams should build steering wheels with touch screens on and have it like an Ipad or Iphone?

I can see the drivers now swiping the screens to select KERS, fuel mix, etc.

Hey it's just a suggestion.