Brake lights at Magny Cours?

[Speed]

[From: http://www.f1racing.net]
"Brake lights might be introduced as a safety measure in Formula 1 as soon as next weekend's French Grand Prix or possibly the British round two weeks later, if all the teams agree"

Like enemy-ace said in another thread... "Schumacher has supposedly expressed concern over this as he doesn't want his competitors to get any insight into what he is doing in the cockpit"

Do you think this will be a positive or negative change in terms of strategy, not safety ?

[Gt_R]

Schumacher...both of them... are VERY supportive over the introduction. But JV brought out an interesting point, that drivers in front might tap on the brakes way before the braking spot to disorientate the driver behind.

I like the idea he came up that makes braking light influenced by slowing down G-force...the greater the G-Force...the brighter the lights...its up to engineers to perfect this braking light thingy.

[Speed]

There's a syntax error in my original post...

Must be:
Do you think this new regulation will be positive or negative ? (in terms of strategy, not safety)

[enemy-ace]

Originally posted by Gt_R
Schumacher...both of them... are VERY supportive over the introduction. But JV brought out an interesting point, that drivers in front might tap on the brakes way before the braking spot to disorientate the driver behind.

I like the idea he came up that makes braking light influenced by slowing down G-force...the greater the G-Force...the brighter the lights...its up to engineers to perfect this braking light thingy.

According to one respected F1 journalist who works for both F1 Racing magazine and Speedvision, M.Schumacher has been supportive of the system in the press but off the record he is hoping that the Ferrari technicians can come up with a system to limit his competitors insight into his driving technique. Seeing his braking points would be ALMOST as good as seeing his telemetry traces.
As for a modulating brake light in relation to deceleration G's, i can't help but think that a savy technician could program a light to intensify earlier or later depending on the corner or particular race strategy. The light should come on as soon as you use the brake pedal just as in a road car. Brake checking has been a part of racing for a long time now, whether you like it or not, so i think the drivers would just have to get used to it. And with brake lights, when a particular driver did "Brake Check" another driver, it would be much more noticable to the Marshalls and could result in a stop and go for unsportmanlike or some such thing.

[economy_waffle]

yeah well i think its a pointless idea - i mean what next? airbags? cd 6 stack in the back? cripes guys, its bloomin motorsort - its supposed to be dangerous - thats why people watch it thats why drivers take part in it.

BRING BACK THE SLICKS!!!

[JeremySmith]

The big boys will come up with a programmable system..The driver behind will see a light but won't know when the computer told the light to turn itself on or off.. Formula1 you have to love it!

[botsquad]

brake lights should be optional..the f1 base price is already a bit much.

besides...most of the pilots are very good at hand signals..

just ask tgf

[Sodemo]

Yes I thought TGF wouldn't be too pleased about revealing too much about the Ferrari's new brake system, (oh sorry that should read ABS braking system )

[JeremySmith]

Yes but hand signals do not win races...Michael does! or is that the FIA driving his car?

[Wrex]

A few points,

Originally posted by enemy-ace
And with brake lights, when a particular driver did "Brake Check" another driver, it would be much more noticable to the Marshalls and could result in a stop and go for unsportmanlike or some such thing.

Would'nt the telemetry give them away on this better than a 'brake light' anyway?

Originally posted by economy_waffle
its bloomin motorsort - its supposed to be dangerous - thats why people watch it thats why drivers take part in it.

Does'nt mean it has to be unnecessarily. Should we remove helmets too

Originally posted by botsquad
brake lights should be optional..the f1 base price is already a bit much.

besides...most of the pilots are very good at hand signals..

just ask tgf

You really think brakes lights are gonna break the budget? And I thought it was DC who was master of the hand signals

Originally posted by Jersound
Yes but hand signals do not win races...Michael does! or is that the FIA driving his car?

Jersound, have you forgotten which forum you are in, Michael can't win a race on his own

[Mekola]

These brake lights will be very useful for Verstappen!

[Wrex]

Originally posted by Mekola
These brake lights will be very useful for Verstappen!

I was trying to stay away from that one

[Valve Bounce]

I think that these lights will be most useful in heavy rain conditions. However, it remains to be seen whether any driver can rely on brake lights to show up in front of him before he brakes. The perception - reaction time is just not sufficient to keep him from hitting the guy in front if he is only metres behind. However, if a driver has to brake unexpectedly because of a problem on the track, following drivers will benefit from such a warning. I'd like to see what actually happens on the track. Might be great for the TV viewers to see who brakes where or when for a corner - increases the spectacle a bit.

[botsquad]

Originally posted by Wrex
You really think brakes lights are gonna break the budget? And I thought it was DC who was master of the hand signals

1. well maybe just minardi
2. yes, but it was tgf who can verify they can be seen.

[Airhead]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
I think that these lights will be most useful in heavy rain conditions.

So it won't just be Jos "Born to Run" Verstappen who will benefit but TGW as well.

[JeremySmith]

Wrex that's the truth...

[Gt_R]

Originally posted by botsquad
brake lights should be optional..the f1 base price is already a bit much.

besides...most of the pilots are very good at hand signals..

just ask tgf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You really think brakes lights are gonna break the budget? And I thought it was DC who was master of the hand signals

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Jersound
Yes but hand signals do not win races...Michael does! or is that the FIA driving his car?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jersound, have you forgotten which forum you are in, Michael can't win a race on his own


geez...well said...

[Gt_R]

Anyway...i just want to point out that i do not like the idea of Braking lights...F1 drivers are supposed to have extreme reflexes to respond to challenges...they are racing, and should judge the car in front for themselves...i believe that all the drivers on the grid are professionals and we have done well without the brake lights for so long. In very few circumstances where brake lights are really useful. What are we going to have next? Traffic lights? head lights? oh...how about having a huge speedo on the rear wing of the car to let the driver behind know your exact speed??

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Gt_R
Anyway...i just want to point out that i do not like the idea of Braking lights...F1 drivers are supposed to have extreme reflexes to respond to challenges...they are racing, and should judge the car in front for themselves...i believe that all the drivers on the grid are professionals and we have done well without the brake lights for so long. In very few circumstances where brake lights are really useful. What are we going to have next? Traffic lights? head lights? oh...how about having a huge speedo on the rear wing of the car to let the driver behind know your exact speed??

So the Schumacher brothers who think brake lights are a good idea are stupid lah!!

[enemy-ace]

Originally posted by Wrex
A few points,
Would'nt the telemetry give them away on this better than a 'brake light' anyway?

Sure the telemetry would give a much clearer insight if a particular driving were 'brake-checking' another, but I think that would fall more into the governing bodies jurisdiction. As far as I know the race marshalls don't have access to team telemetry. Whether they (the race steward) would want to punish any such offence, I don't know, like I said earlier 'Brake-Checking' has been part of racing for a long time, some racers do it and some don't.
As for Speed's original question about it's positive or negative impact on race strategy. I think that brakelights on a grand-prix car might be beneficial for safety, but would aid some smart teams much more in terms of strategy, in that by monitoring how deep a car can go into or through a corner without braking will give you an insight into either a)how much fuel the team may be running b)the condition of their tyres as the race progresses and c) the stability or condition of the chassis. Of course these observations would also be made in conjunction with other variables that present themselves on any given race weekend. Brakelights don't only communicate that you are stopping, they also say (when looking at the big picture) when you might be pitting or in the case of an illhandling car when you (as the pursuer) can push a little harder.
Personally I look forward to seeing the brakelights, intrigueing stuff

[Speed]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
I think that these lights will be most useful in heavy rain conditions

Well, sometimes nobody can predict the rain is coming, so..., according to this, break lights must be installed from the start, in every race.

Originally posted by Mekola
These brake lights will be very useful for Verstappen

And what about for the Canadian JV ??? It'll be useful too.
Ohhhhh sorry, nobody is supposed to talk about that incident any more...