Thoughts on current F1 Regulations

[Nitrodaze]

Even though it was obvious that the Mclaren-Honda is slow on the straights compared to the rest of the midfield which is where they are now, this weekend has been one of their better showing. There is evidence that there is a reaslistic potential for a proper step forward next season.

It was great to hear the Ron Denis interview. It is reassuring that he still has confidence in Honda delivering the goods next year. Mclaren are consoled by the fact that they are not alone on the wrong side of the regulations. But it was interesting to hear his opinion about the highly restrictive F1 regulations which seems to cripple in-season progression. I think the most important point he made was that the cost saving basis of these regulation was not being achieved as the regulations creates new reasons for spending. With Honda's very visible and humiliating difficulties in succeeding to produce a competitive package within the current regulations, it is clear the current rules is becoming a deterrent to attracting new teams and manufacturers. It would seem most teams are lukewarm about the regulations as they are about the tyres.

One looming blow to F1 is the threat by Redbull to exit the sport if they cannot find a competitive engine. Hearing Dr Marko today would suggest that this is a serious stance by Redbull. Redbull and Torro Rosso exiting the paddock in 2016 would be a huge blow to the current FIA regime, as it would be the clearest statement that they have got the regulations very wrong and have not been sensitive to the realities of the F1 teams. The reality is that there could be other teams exiting F1 along with Redbull for other reasons relating to cost and the restrictive regulations. It is not outside the possibility that Honda may also choose to withdraw from F1 in 2016 or 2017 for the same reasons.

The real question is , is the current F1 still a viable proposition given the difficulties teams are having to operate competitively if they start the year with any deficit in performance. Not to mention the damaging effect of the failure to succeed within the regulations has on the corporate brand. Having two world champion drivers, two multiple world championship teams and two world championship engine manufacturers dealing with publicly visible frustrations of living with the painful realities of the constraints of the regulations, would suggest that the regulations may have gone a tad too far.

We can only truely judge the regulations on the quality of the racing it produces. Could we retrospectively say that the racing has improved compared to racing prior to the current regulations? Has cost, consequently spending gone down? Is it safer? Is F1 more accessible? Are drivers and teams happy and comfortable with the state of affairs? If you can objectively answer yes to all of these questions, then the regulations is spot on.

What is your take on this? Is the current F1 regulation spot on or too restrictive?

[N4D13]

First, if Red Bull leave the sport, they have Red Bull to blame. You can't just spend your tenure on the sport shitting on everyone else, inclding your engine supplier, whenever things don't go your way and expect any good to come out of it.

Second, I think Joe Saward has a great point when he calls for an iron first FIA that rules the sport and hands out rules to the teams, regardless of whether they like it or not. The current statu quo in which teams have too much power means that the big teams can block any significant changes - and why wouldn't they keeping things as they are benefits them?

The main issue with F1 these days is, in my opinion, the lack of consensus between the teams and the FIA's unwillingness to do anything at all unless the teams all agree. Take the teams out of the equation, let the regulators do their work alone and I'm sure that F1 will become much better and more sustainable.

[zako85]

My current thoughts on making the racing better:

1. Reduce the aero downforce and/or increase the ground effect, and give cars better tire grip to get rid of DRS in order to have more close racing and higher quality overtaking.

2. The Q3 sessions should got back to one lap qualifying format.

3. Get rid of the fuel flow sensor. None of the sorry ass engineering excuses to justify having them made a good case for better racing. Just give every car X liters of fuel for the race and let the engineers decide when it must push hard or save fuel to finish the race. This could add some incredible drama like the leading cars suddenly slowing to save fuel, cars running out of fuel, etc. What we have right now where cars can push equally well in any part of the race is just boring.

(3a. Alternatively, keep the sensor, but set the flow limit a little higher so that the engine power stays in check somewhat, but the drivers still have an option to push harder or to save fuel)

4. With the 2017 regulations, set the limit on customer engine costs.

5. Discuss with all manufacturers whether liberating engine development would be beneficial for the sports.

[Bezza]

On Sunday night Sky F1 showed the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix which Raikkonen won on the last lap. It was of course a classic race under unusual circumstances but what stood out for me was the visible speed and effort the drivers were putting in compared to the 2015 cars. 10 years on you would think F1 would have progressed, but it has undoubtedly REGRESSED.

I don't think it is difficult to fix personally, but F1 needs to decide what it wants. Does it want manufacturer / big business entries, or does it want privateer / budget entries? It wants both - currently it is trying to please both, and failing to please most - and totally failing to please the watching public.

1) Unlimited testing. And no rules against in-season development. It is killing F1 at the moment. If you are not quick in Australia, the season is over. Gone are the days like 2004 when McLaren started with a terrible car and ended it with a race-winning one.

2) Get rid of penalties for car changes. This is not the drivers fault so stop making stupid regulations that confuse the public.

3) Get rid of DRS. We do not want more overtaking. We want intense, close battles. Having DRS makes passing too easy - and takes the skill away. Why should the driver in front be sabotaged for being in front? It is the driver behinds job to overtake him. Some tracks are better than others, and none of them need DRS - it is a gimmick that needs to be done away with ASAP.

4) Q3 Qualifying should be a "Super-Pole" session with Qualifying tyres. In fact I wouldn't have a Q1 or Q2, simply a Q1 with all 20 cars, and a Q2 top 10 Super Pole.

5) Engine manufacturers who run teams (a k a Mercedes and Ferrari) should be forced to give engines to other makes should they want them - and should give them the best engines they have. Mercedes current dominance of F1 is far worse than Red Bulls through 2010-2013 because they are in effect "controlling" F1 by having customer teams like Lotus and Williams who they will not give the best engines to. And Ferrari and Renault's engines are not good enough to compete (and are not allowed to develop quick enough in season) - therefore it is a two-tier championship of Mercedes power.

When will Mercedes realize that winning in their current fashion is not good for themselves or anybody? Fine for one season, 2014, but two, three in a row? Every will turn off if they haven't already.

I don't see much changing for 2016, hopefully Ferrari will be a little closer and Vettel can take the fight to Hamilton. I'm looking forward to 2017 with the changes proposed so far.

[steveaki13]

On Sunday night Sky F1 showed the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix which Raikkonen won on the last lap. It was of course a classic race under unusual circumstances but what stood out for me was the visible speed and effort the drivers were putting in compared to the 2015 cars. 10 years on you would think F1 would have progressed, but it has undoubtedly REGRESSED.

I don't think it is difficult to fix personally, but F1 needs to decide what it wants. Does it want manufacturer / big business entries, or does it want privateer / budget entries? It wants both - currently it is trying to please both, and failing to please most - and totally failing to please the watching public.

1) Unlimited testing. And no rules against in-season development. It is killing F1 at the moment. If you are not quick in Australia, the season is over. Gone are the days like 2004 when McLaren started with a terrible car and ended it with a race-winning one.

2) Get rid of penalties for car changes. This is not the drivers fault so stop making stupid regulations that confuse the public.

3) Get rid of DRS. We do not want more overtaking. We want intense, close battles. Having DRS makes passing too easy - and takes the skill away. Why should the driver in front be sabotaged for being in front? It is the driver behinds job to overtake him. Some tracks are better than others, and none of them need DRS - it is a gimmick that needs to be done away with ASAP.

4) Q3 Qualifying should be a "Super-Pole" session with Qualifying tyres. In fact I wouldn't have a Q1 or Q2, simply a Q1 with all 20 cars, and a Q2 top 10 Super Pole.

5) Engine manufacturers who run teams (a k a Mercedes and Ferrari) should be forced to give engines to other makes should they want them - and should give them the best engines they have. Mercedes current dominance of F1 is far worse than Red Bulls through 2010-2013 because they are in effect "controlling" F1 by having customer teams like Lotus and Williams who they will not give the best engines to. And Ferrari and Renault's engines are not good enough to compete (and are not allowed to develop quick enough in season) - therefore it is a two-tier championship of Mercedes power.

When will Mercedes realize that winning in their current fashion is not good for themselves or anybody? Fine for one season, 2014, but two, three in a row? Every will turn off if they haven't already.

I don't see much changing for 2016, hopefully Ferrari will be a little closer and Vettel can take the fight to Hamilton. I'm looking forward to 2017 with the changes proposed so far.

This is all spot on Bezza

I always felt F1 should be cheap to enter and hard to win. I.e like the 90s we could have smaller teams enter and race hard, but as back then only 3 or 4 teams were ever going to win.

I know some will struggle to understand but I would rather have a field of 26 or more with good racing through the field and 3 teams in with a chance with winning. Rather than 14 equal manufacturer cars.

Or as we have now 1 engine series.

I think early 90s in terms of sport had it better. Easy (comparatively) to enter and race in but money will still win it

We will never these days get privateers that can win so let's not stop the big teams spending but rather help new teams enter.

Sent from my GT-I9301I using Tapatalk

[Nitrodaze]

With the EU Competition Committee stepping into the F1 fray, a scenario rocked with teams openly criticizing the rules, teams threatening to withdraw from the series, teams facing financial woes and drivers quietly think of exiting to other series; is F1 in crisis or on the verge of crisis?

[zako85]

With the EU Competition Committee stepping into the F1 fray, a scenario rocked with teams openly criticizing the rules, teams threatening to withdraw from the series, teams facing financial woes and drivers quietly think of exiting to other series; is F1 in crisis or on the verge of crisis?

It's just a new page of F1 history. The mid-field teams are complaining that distributing hundreds of millions of euros to the top teams simply for being the top or historically significant teams is unfair. (These days Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, etc receive money from a specially allocated pot of gold specially reserved for these specific teams) I think those midfield teams have a good reason to complain. The special subsidy that the rich teams receive must go. Right now, F1 has a system where the rich teams always get richer. Is this fair? Probably not. In my opinion, the system must go, but also the midfield teams must be compensated for the past years when the corrupt and monopolist practices led to rich teams getting more money simply for being rich.

[Big Ben]

There's so much wrong with F1 these days that I actually wouldn't mind if it collapsed somehow and Bernie would be left with nothing but a name and maybe then a new championship could be set up without the poisonous dwarf. I know it's not going to happen but one can hope.

[Rollo]

5. Discuss with all manufacturers whether liberating engine development would be beneficial for the sports.

re 5: Yes.

Formula One is expensive yes, but keeping a lid on engine development basically ensures that whoever does not have access to the best engine, remains crap. I think Honda have already learned that even if they have a horrible engine, they may as well just give up altogether because the regs don't really allow them to throw the whole engine away and start again.
In a number of races we've seen that Mercedes engines are the best and if you don't have them, even if you're developing you're own, then it sucks to be you.

[Nitrodaze]

First, if Red Bull leave the sport, they have Red Bull to blame. You can't just spend your tenure on the sport shitting on everyone else, inclding your engine supplier, whenever things don't go your way and expect any good to come out of it.

I am not so sure anyone would blame Redbull for walking out of the series if they don't see good business sense in staying. The rules as it were, placed a huge pressure on Renault to get out of their deficit in performance once it became clear they had got their design wrong and were down on power relative to Mercedes. But with the constraints of the rules, it was clearly difficult for Renault to find the sort of performance that would make Redbull competitive enough to take the fight to sharp end of the grid.

Under the circumstances, Redbull pay a huge amount of money to Renault to provide engines competitive enough to challenge at the front of the grid. If they are not getting value for money, it is natural that they would be very unhappy about it. After two seasons of no real progression on the power front, you have to be quite daft to not start thinking that there has to be a better way than the current one. Unfortunately the restrictive regulations is the real problem and they could have jointly acknowledged that and try to do something collectively about it.

The reality for Redbull is, the difficulty of the regulations will follow them to their new engine supplier and they would need to have the patience of a saint to get back to competing at the front. Much as Mclaren is testament of. Audi or whoever they get in bed with would need to turn up with an engine that is competitive compared to the Mercedes and Ferrari, plus the engine design must allow scope for development over the following 2 years at least. Now that is a tall order by current standards. Particularly with lack of F1 experience and an engine with no historical data.

The fact of the matter is, it is incredibly tough getting anything new into F1 at the moment due to the overly restrictive nature of the current regulations which places an unfair burden o innovation coupled with an attempt to restrict spending or reduce cost. It is difficult to innovate without spending a great deal of money. It is also impossible to innovate out of an architectural flaw in a design without re-architecting the design. This essentially is where Renault and Honda find themselves, as such stuck between a rock and a hard place as they say.

The current regulation has removed an important competitive strand of F1, the technology race between teams. This is the arena that has produced some of the most amazing innovations in the past. The likes of DRS, energy recovery systems etc l am sure you can name a few of your own. The current regulation has effectively killed off this aspect of F1. Incidentally, this is one of the main aspects of F1 that makes it the premier 4 wheel open cockpit motorsport. It is also the main reason why the competitiveness of teams are frozen where they start their season from; the ugly reality of not being able to innovate themselves out of a rotten start to the season.

The current F1 is not in harmony with its essence, it lack its spiritual balance, it is out of sorts with its heritage. No Feng Shui.