Sport-Darwinism: Are you happy with "independent" midfielder teams get out of F1?

[Mekola]

The F1 is near to equal the heroic days of official high-corporation teams running one against other battling to demonstrate who is the most fast, reliable and futuristic of all them. It's looking that "independent" ecuries such Sauber, Jordan, Arrows and Minardi are disturbing the greats and there are no need of them in the F1.
The costs are increasing too much (in next year is probably that any team must need U$S 200 Million to have a decent season) and it feels that it will be converted to one muchmuchmuch exclusive "club", in what it will be so difficult to enter. But that costs must find the roof in the near future, mostly what there is no rational reason to develop one technology who not have other use as developing F1 cars.

[freud]

You know why the top teams wouldnt want the midfielders to get out of f1.... because its the midfielder & backmarker teams that make Ferrari, Williams and Mclarens look so great... think

[Lee Janotta]

The problem with a return to the '50s ideal of full-factory F1 is that there are far fewer manufacturers around! Think, you've basically just got FIAT (barely solvent), Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, Renault, Peugot-Citroen, VAG, BMW, and DaimlerChrysler who can even afford to be involved! That's only 20 cars, assuming they're _all_ interested.

Besides, F1 was at its best in the early and mid '60s, when there was almost no factory involvement.

[Nicholas]

The smaller teams bring an extra sense of character that the big rich ones don't necessarily have. Like Minardi for example.

Speaking of Minardi, it's interesting to note that now with Stoddart as boss the forum has turned from looking like a Minardi fan club last year to one that (at least at first sight) appears to have the majority against them. Not that there's anything necessarily wrong with that, but interesting nonetheless. Perhaps it may have gained a few with Webber, but it looks like a lot of people have now become fed up.

[freud]

I, for one, am beginning to like 'Arrows'. I think this year they have shown a lot of character.

[Miss Hardt]

I think that 7-team F1 would not do.

[Nicholas]

Originally posted by freud
I, for one, am beginning to like 'Arrows'. I think this year they have shown a lot of character.

Well fair enough, anything's better than that whinging loser Paul Stoddart...

[paulzinho]

If teams are going bust will the FIA relax the 107% rule and start racing on longer tracks again.....

[kmchow]

Well, even if there are basically only 10 "auto groups" left as Lee Janota said, if they all raced, it wouldn't be that bad. That makes 20 cars. Unfortunately, not all car groups are interested in F1. But I still can't understand why F1 manufacturers aren't forced to sell their last year's cars to privateer/midfielder teams. They do that in touring cars, why not F1? The obvious answer is that they don't want their tech secrets being discovered, but for the sake of the racing series, manufacturers should be more open minded.

[f1manoz]

Small 'kit-car' teams were the heart and soul of F1, but thanks to manufacturer competitiveness and increased costs, the likes of the teams of Jordan, Minardi and Arrows are coming to an end unless they link up with a manufacturer. And I find it really sad.

Give me a Lotus GP car over a bloody Toyota anyday.

[bugeye]

I hate seeing the demise of the "pure" racing teams. Take a look at a grid from ten years ago and see who is left. Some great teams have been lost. Turning the "sport" over to the major manufacturers who have to answer to boards of directors is a dangerous move, but if that happens maybe its time to make a fundimental change to F1.
Similar but opposite to the old Group C where fuel going into the cars was limited how about a formula that would limit the emissions coming out of F1 cars? That would certainly make technical advances relivant in today's environment, and would help get the "greens" off of racing's back.