What regulations do you propose?

[Gilsen]

Since the 1998 season the criticism on the regulations are raising. A growing group disagrees with the policy of Max Mosley. Especially after the new regulations which has been introduced in and after the 2003 season. The new regulations which have been introduced for this year are very controversial as well.

But what do we really want? What regulations do you propose?

I'll do the kick-off.

1. Aerodynamics
Often people say that downforce makes it difficult to overtake. But in my opinion that is not the problem. The manner how teams create downforce is more important than the amount of downforce. At this moment, teams create most downforce by wings on the cars. That must be changed. In the 1970's and the beginning of the 1980's teams used a venturi shaped bottom and skirts. On fast tracks like Hockemheimring, Monza and Zeltweg teams didn't use a front wing. Drivers were able to driver really close to each other. Even in high downforce corners.

- A ban on all wings on the car;
- Reintroduction of the venturi shaped bottom and skirts, possible with a couple of limitations;
- Abolition of the obligation to have a wooden board at the bottom;
- A car width of 200cm.

2. Engines
Engines also play a big role by overtaking. With more powerful engines, drivers can pass each other by accelerating. And just like Dave Richards said: for spectacular races, you need spectacular cars. At the moment the rules for the engines are too strict. This could make manufactures decide to withdraw or not go into the Formula 1.

- An increase of the engine capacity to 4000cc;
- The freedom for the engine manufactures to choose how much cylinders and what kind of engine they want to use;
- A full abolition of one engine rule. Engine manufactures and teams have an own responsibility not to use too many engines.

3. Tyres
The grooved and hard tyres make the cars unnecessary nervous and thus difficult to overtake. It also forces the drivers to adapt their driving style to a standard. In the current Formula 1 there would be no space for drivers like Gilles Villeneuve and Ayrton Senna.

- The reintroduction of the slicks;
- The tyres width just as it was in the 1980's;
- A maximum of eight sets tyres for all practices and race during the weekend;
- After all free practices a driver must choose one soft and one hard tyres which he must use during qualifying, warming-up and race.

4. Electronics
The electronics take away too much from the driver. This makes it difficult for the driver to make a difference and overtake.

- A ban on traction control;
- A ban on the electronic throttle;
- A ban on the current semi-automatic gears. Drivers must change gears with a lever. But this device may work just as used in the Champcar;
- The ban on launch control must be maintained.

5. Qualifying
In the current qualifying, drivers are unable to make a real good qualifying pace. They are totally dependent on the strategy for the race. This makes it very hard to judge a lap. The current qualifying makes the sport unnecessary complicated.

- Two 60 minutes qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday;
- A maximum of 15 laps and a minimum of 9 laps for both sessions;
- No 107%-rule;
- Full abolition of the post qualifying parc fermé regulations.

6. Point awarding system
The current system devaluates the value of a Grand Prix victory. The winner is not rewarded enough. The current system was introduced to give the smaller more chance to get points. But the system seems to have the opposite effect, because reliability has became too important.

Points should be awarded according to the following scale:

1st: 10
2nd: 6
3rd: 4
4th: 3
5th: 2
6th: 1
Pole: 1
Fastest lap: 1
Most lead: 1

[Kicking-back]

The reintroduction of skirts and full ground effects would be just as dangerous as it was last time.

The points system you suggest is fine - but I believe points should be issued on race results only - not on FL or laps led.

[Pingguest]

1. Aerodynamics
Just as Gilsen said, not really the amount of downforce is a problem. The manner how teams create downforce is the problem. But reintroducing the venturi shaped bottom and skirts is too extreme. A long time I supported the idea to reintroduce the skirts, but think it is too dangerous. If a driver just drivers to hard over a curbstone, the skirts can break. So I propose:

- Radical restrictions on the aerodynamics on the car;
- Reintroduction of the totally flat bottom and full abolition of the obligation to have a wooden board at the bottom. So, just back as it was before 1994;
- A car width of 200cm.

2. Engines
At the moment the engine rules are too strict. A driver gets penalized when he must change his engine, although he didn’t cause the breakdown. The one engine rule was introduced to cut the costs, but according to many people in Formula 1, this rule had no effect. But it does harm the sport as being the pinnacle of motor racing. I propose:

- The full abolition of the one engine rule;
- An increase of the engine capacity to 4000cc or even 4500cc;
- The reintroduction of turbo engines with a maximum capacity of 2000cc;
- The engine manufactures must have the freedom to choose for how much cylinders and valves and what kind of engine and materials it want to use.

3. Tyres
The current grooved tyres are awful. They kill every wild driving style. The new regulations for 2005 are even more ridiculous; it will make the sport unnecessary dangerous and won’t make drivers overtake, because they don’t want to drive a whole race with a flat point which can break the suspension. I propose:

- The reintroduction of the wide slicks, just as used at the late 1980’s and begin 1990’s;
- No limitations of sets of tyres;
- A driver must have the possibility to change the compound during the whole weekend.

4. Electronics
The electronics don’t make the races more exciting. They just take away the possibility for the driver to make any difference. The electronics increase the costs unnecessary. What needed is:

- A ban on traction control;
- A ban on electronic throttle.

5. Qualifying
Qualifying has become a joke since the 2003 season. It increased the importance of strategy, and caused a situation of more pit stops in during the race. Before the 2003 season it was normal to do one stop. I propose:

- One 60 minutes qualifying on Saturday;
- No limitations of laps during qualifying;
- No 107%-rule;
- Full abolition of the post qualifying parc fermé regulations.

6. Point awarding system
I agree with Gilsen that the current system devaluates the value of a Grand Prix victory and that the current system seems not to help smaller teams to get points.

I think that points should be awarded according to the following scale:

1st: 10
2nd: 6
3rd: 4
4th: 3
5th: 2
6th: 1
Pole: 1
Fastest lap: 1

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

- An increase of the engine capacity to 4000cc or even 4500cc;
- The reintroduction of turbo engines with a maximum capacity of 2000cc;

1500-2000hp,interesting.

And much larger race tracks!

[pitcrew]

slicks, so can go offline to overtake and big wings to cause serious drag but at the same time chance for slipstreming = more overtaking, no driver aids.

[pink69]

I think F1 should:

-Reintroduce slick tyres with a single supplier
-Return to single engine for one race weekend
-Single lap qualifying format from 2003 - produced mixed grids
-Reduced wing elements allowed on front and rear
-Remove all electronic aids
-Keep the current points system

[Marbot]

Definitely a ban on pay drivers.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

1500-2000hp,interesting.

And much larger race tracks!

Yes, it is. But in some other classes, like GT, some cars are also having this amount of power.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Definitely a ban on pay drivers.

What does that mean?

How would you write the specific regulation?

[ASCII Man]

Michael Schumacher's salary is largely being payed by Marlboro, so technically that means he's practically a paydriver, well sort of...

[Sodemo]

I think we have a variety of agendas in the current F1 climate:

1. Reducing costs.
2. Closing the performance gap between teams.
3. Spicing up the "racing" (ie more overtaking).

If we severely reduced the ability to create downforce that would apply to all three of the above.
A ban on re-fueling is my all time want, not only will it improve the sport, but it would also stop J Allen wittering on about fuel loads.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by The Monster

A ban on re-fueling is my all time want, not only will it improve the sport, but it would also stop J Allen wittering on about fuel loads.

I'm not really sure that a ban on refueling during the race would a benefit. Pitstops with refueling has some advantages and disadvantages.

[Marbot]

[QUOTE=Kicking-back]What does that mean?[QUOTE]

What it says,Jordan spend $20 million getting their car to go half a second per lap faster and then recoup $10 million by hiring a driver who is one second slower than the driver they would have rather hired for free.

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

How would you write the specific regulation?

On a typewriter.

[Hazard]

I'd propose a ban on paid drivers. Should get Michael and the 'overrated' crew off the grid, we can have bish-bashes between kids with rich daddies.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Hazard

I'd propose a ban on paid drivers. Should get Michael and the 'overrated' crew off the grid, we can have bish-bashes between kids with rich daddies.

It'd be just like karting then.

[Hazard]

Tee hee. But they don't let karties run over the pit mechanics.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Hazard

Tee hee. But they don't let karties run over the pit mechanics.

Oh yes they do!

[DougK]

Ban or reduce the wings significantly....
Slick Tyres (not controlled and many manufacturers)
either Diesel Engines to slow the cars (not turbo) or alternative fuels.
No Driver aids
Manual Gearbox
No radio comms from teams only race control to warn of incidents
Max 6 people involved in pit stops.

or alternatively,

Fully unregulated cars (anything goes) with pay per drive drivers controlling them from a simulator to make the sport safe!

[N I Tram]

Less aerodynamic grip and more mechanical grip would be ideal. A return to slick tyres seems fairly essential as well, and most of the great F1 eras ahve had a single tyre supplier so this would be worth considering - although the first year or 2 of both companies producing tyres would be interesting. Anything that makes driving the cars too easy should go in my view - fully automatic gearboxes and no traction control would sort the men from the boys.

[ActiveMS]

Personally I like the cars with wings and dont think it should be taken away or minimalised.

Definitely worth going back to slicks.

There are pro's and con's of one make tyres, but overall if it can reduce the huge testing budgets then it has got to be worth it.

I dont think most people are too bothered about engines, but I think we would all like to see less blowups?

You'll always get pay drivers and in some ways for many it is the only way to get into F1 and also provides a life line in terms of cash for some teams. Also the way that some drivers bring sponsors into a team could also be seen as paying for a drive.

Roll on Melbourne in 12 days.......

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by ActiveMS

I dont think most people are too bothered about engines, but I think we would all like to see less blowups?

F1 has better reliability now than ever before.

Surely more blowups would introduce more mixed results?

[BootsOntheSide]

Personally I'd like to see rev limiters removed from engines, as that would bring back a big skill from the drivers in terms of engien management, and would mean that engine failures aren't entirely random from a driver's perspective.

[Glen]

They aren't entirely random now, although the teams and drivers never want to say too much about it. The drivers that over-use their "emergency" revs - especially immediately prior and following a pit stop - are the ones that get more "entirely random" engine failures.