Bernie's latest goofy proposal - artificial rainstorms

[Shifter]

We all know by now Bernie is keen to introduce wacky ideas to get us talking, and so here we go again...

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/42110.html

"Bernie Ecclestone would like to see trackside sprinklers at Formula One circuits to artificially create the excitement of a wet circuit midway through grands prix."

""There are race tracks that you can make artificially wet and it would be easy to have such systems at a number of tracks. Why not let it 'rain' in the middle of a race? For 20 minutes or the last ten laps? Maybe with a two-minute warning ahead of it. Suspense would be guaranteed and it would be the same for all."

While it goes against all I hold sacred, I would have rather liked the idea for one race weekend only - 2005 USGP...

[Robinho]

its not the worst idea he's ever had, wet races are certainly more action packed these days, and a controlled amount of "wetness" stops the risk of having pace cars etc, however i don't like the principle of it, it would need to be a truly randomly generated event, that could or might not happen, not a "throw the switch to spice it up" option.

Leave it to a random computer generated sequence, more likely to not happen than definately happen, prvide a couple of minutes warning as they get with the real weather, and turn the whole thing off if there is real rain in the area.

it would not be a disaster, but i'm not keen on the philosophy, if the racing is not exciting fix the cars and the tracks before making artifical weather

[truefan72]

what a stupid stupid idea

[UltimateDanGTR]

You just know if NASCARs could race in the wet, this is the sort of cheap gimmick they would come up with.

This is F1, a sport that should naturally be entertaining.

It shouldn't be an entertainment/reality TV show, like this idea indicates.

[Dave B]

Gimmick, Bernie needs a hosepipe up his backside if (and he probably isn't) being serious.

[Marbles]

He should involve the fans and have one lucky contest winner get to throw a spike belt across the track at a time of his choosing.

Either I'm imagining things or Bernie's getting old and forgetful but I swear he, or someone in FIA, proposed this about a decade ago.

It doesn't sound any saner now than it did then.

[harvick#1]

oh crap, he must've read one of my posts that I was joking on about sprinklers at all tracks that could go off at random.

Bernie, can I have the same stuff you are smokin

[schmenke]

If he is serious he's truely gone mad.

[Kevincal]

good way to kill a driver off. Image they are hauling ass middle of the race going through a fast corner on slicks, all of a sudden its wet without warning. Boom. Now if it was planned to take place at some point of the race where everyone knew what laps would be wet, well that would be ok

[steveaki13]

I get fed up with all this tinkering with F1.

I am lucky enough to have a collection of GP's going back to 1989 and if I watch a season over a few weeks, there were plenty of boring races back then. I think people have a tendensy to view the past with rose tinted glasses.

I mean don't get me wrong I have watched F1 since 91 or 92 and feel the sport as a whole was more enjoyable then and had many great races and a bit more overtaking than now maybe, but on the whole the excitement levels in each race were similar.

So why now do we always have people trying to spice up the show. I guess Bernie was not serious about this suggestion, but I feel even flexi wings, forced tyre rules, changing in Qualifying (Going back to the mid 2000's) and kers, all just seem to be artificial.

F1 in its purest sense is about the best 24 drivers in the world racing for the world title. That used to be the drama and excitement. Now it appears unless there is overtaking every corner certain people are moaning.

Fact is if the best drivers are battling they and cars are so good they show be virtually level, and if the 5 fastest drivers are 1,2,3,4,5 in order then they will spread out. It seems a bit unfair for the fastest driver to be subject to all manner of devices and rules to stop him winning.

On the whole I prefer simpler F1.

Practice Sessions then a one hour Qualifying Session of 12 laps like pre 2003, give the drivers an even start (i.e top 10 can choose tyres and not be forced to a disadvantage by starting on old tyres). Give them 4 differing compounds each better suited to its own job hard, soft, super soft etc.

Then let them race.