Does less grip make for better racing?

[Average Punter]

Noticed that at the end of the TV coverage yesterday, Cromley mentioned how good the racing had been at Barbagallo over the weekend, and whether the increased grip levels allowed the drivers to push that little bit harder, especially under brakes.

Interesting observation given that the rule makers for 2005 have gone the opposite way with grip and downforce. Posters here and on other forums have for ages pushed the line that reducing grip would have the cars "sliding" more and make for more passing and therefore better racing.

Cromley's comments appear to contradict this long held theory.

Any thoughts?

[Mattracer]

Depends on the circuit. A lot of the fun was had at the final turn at Barbagallo, which is slightly uphill after a 6th gear straight. Not all braking areas are like this. An unusual circuit with the undulations the way they are. Thwe resurfacing may have meant that the sand didn't build up quite so much on the surface.

[GTRMagic]

The Dunlop control tyre is a durable tyre, designed to work in heat, cold, wet, dry. The wet tyre works in intermediate conditions.

Depending on who you talk to, neither Dunlop product produces the same levels of grip as the former Bridgestone equivalent.

The cars should have loads of grip... so the drivers can go flat out all the time... especially with these pitstop races... a new set of rubber each race, meaning at Barbagallo each car would have fresh tyres for each race, and not having to conserve a set for the later races.

Get rid of the conservatism, get aggressive, get grip!!!

[Woody75]

couldnt agree more GTR

[Onlooker]

I would think that in going to a control rim and the tender being up for the tyres it would be the best time to go for a slightly thinner rim and tyre combo.Then the cars would move around a bit and the cars wouldn't such huge and expensive modifications to accomadate the wheel, the brakes would be smaller as a result of the more restrictive rim also.

[Chucky]

"Moving around a bit" is not the answer to improving racing. It will only make drivers even more conservative in their approach to overtaking as most moves will entail bouncing off something like a door or boot. This, in turn, will give them a reputation as a car killer.

If you want to see cars "move around" go to the speedway or a B&S ball to watch the donuts.

Sheeesh.

[dangeradam]

more mechanical grip and less aero grip is what all forms of racing need

[Onlooker]

Well I doubt that removing the undertray and setting a rear wing angle is going to enhance the grip or save any money so I wonder what the plan is there.Increased braking distances that would result from my suggestions I think give more oppurtunity to pass.

[champcarman]

Decrease the grip and you will produce worse tyre life and thus increase the reliance on car set up which already dominates the outcome of races. Last year Ambrose had the best set up car for most tracks, this year Bright seems to have. At the moment I think we have a pretty good balance between mechanical grip and aero gip and enough adjustability in the cars to make it a technical challenge. I cannot think of a category of racing anywhere in the world that has less tyre and downforce for the amount of weight and horsepower. As Bill Woods said "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The proposed rule changes are a mistake.

[Onlooker]

I think that the reliance on car set up dominates every form of motorsport from Karts to F1. That is just the way it is, a car is nothing more than a mobile physics,kinematics and dynamics experiment and the better your ideas are at chanelling those forces into giving a favourable resultant force are the better you go.
It doesn't show up in lots of other classes as the diversity in the potential forces generated by different cars types is so diverse that when added to the general unpredictable driver input at that level performance outcomes are vastly different.

[dsg]

I tend to agree with GTRMagic, give them more tyres so they don't need to have such a conservative approch in their setups and driving.

[racer69]

Widen the tyres and get rid of the silly wings!

[aj_308]

everyone goes for less grip, i would be interested to see the effects of more grip.

[racer69]

Formula 1

[aj_308]

didn't they lessen the grip with grooved tyres, and it did squat?

[Average Punter]

Thinking about it, the overtaking at Barbagallo was probably due more to circuit design than anything else. Like mattracer says, there is a uphill braking area into a right angled turn that encourages braking duels.

Better still it follows a long sweeper that if a car can get power down out of the turn and get a good run onto the straight will make for good passing.

Other examples?
Honda at PI
Most of the turns at the Paperclip (boring track. Great racing)
The hairpin at Puke
Griffins at Bathurst
The hairpin at Adelaide.

The other circuits ie Oran Park, Hidden Valley, Winton, Sufferers Paradise, and Sandown, don't have layouts like this and there is next to no passing...