Fuel Management Points

[Whyzars]

Fuel weight and therefore fuel usage is an important factor in the running of an F1 package.

Do you think that there would be a significant effect on races if the actual fuel remaining in the tank at the end of a race was weighed and championship points awarded? The more fuel, the more points.

Weight based handicapping is obviously not an appropriate option but adding a fuel management component to the overall championship points could be. I see this as no more gimmicky than the DRS and it at least has a technical component to it with points being earned by the team that gets the balance right.

[Retro Formula 1]

No.

[SGWilko]

Fuel weight and therefore fuel usage is an important factor in the running of an F1 package.

Do you think that there would be a significant effect on races if the actual fuel remaining in the tank at the end of a race was weighed and championship points awarded? The more fuel, the more points.

Weight based handicapping is obviously not an appropriate option but adding a fuel management component to the overall championship points could be. I see this as no more gimmicky than the DRS and it at least has a technical component to it with points being earned by the team that gets the balance right.

How about forcing teams which use less fuel (i.e. have more fuel left at the end) to use less fuel at the start of a race? This will force the focus to efficiency and economy....

I bit too gimmicky perhaps?

[Retro Formula 1]

Blimey SGWilko, Lewis would do one or two stunning laps, overtaking everyone, before having to go into fuel saving mode and finishing last

[Malbec]

Fuel weight and therefore fuel usage is an important factor in the running of an F1 package.

Do you think that there would be a significant effect on races if the actual fuel remaining in the tank at the end of a race was weighed and championship points awarded? The more fuel, the more points.

Weight based handicapping is obviously not an appropriate option but adding a fuel management component to the overall championship points could be. I see this as no more gimmicky than the DRS and it at least has a technical component to it with points being earned by the team that gets the balance right.

So HRT with no reasonable chance of scoring points could get a good handful by fitting a massive tank and finishing the race with a few hundred kilos of fuel?

Midfield teams would face a conundrum wouldn't they. Squeeze out performance and score a few points or be outscored by a slightly slower team that just goes on a fuel economy run with a heavy load to finish the race with a big load of fuel.

IIRC the new regulations with the turbo V6 engines includes a big reduction in the maximum fuel flow allowed so economy and fuel management will be even more important after 2014. Lets leave things at that instead of complicating matters further.

[Whyzars]

How about forcing teams which use less fuel (i.e. have more fuel left at the end) to use less fuel at the start of a race? This will force the focus to efficiency and economy....

I bit too gimmicky perhaps?

My flame suit may be about to get a work out.

Teams are starting with less fuel than they need to complete the race so there is a fuel economy component in the racing already.

If they were to extend the points to include a "remaining fuel" portion it could have a very interesting effect. I don't believe it will be negative for the racing but they would obviously have to get the points right. A tenth of a point per litre perhaps.

My thinking was along the lines of drivers going out heavy and defending against drivers who opt to go out light and attacking.

[Dave B]

Far too complicated and boring for the casual fan. Finishing order should be finishing order, not decided an hour after the chequered flag.

I'm all for restricting fuel use to encourage more efficient engines but this isn't workable.

[Whyzars]

So HRT with no reasonable chance of scoring points could get a good handful by fitting a massive tank and finishing the race with a few hundred kilos of fuel?

Midfield teams would face a conundrum wouldn't they. Squeeze out performance and score a few points or be outscored by a slightly slower team that just goes on a fuel economy run with a heavy load to finish the race with a big load of fuel.

IIRC the new regulations with the turbo V6 engines includes a big reduction in the maximum fuel flow allowed so economy and fuel management will be even more important after 2014. Lets leave things at that instead of complicating matters further.

I thought about the HRT conundrum. If a fuel tanker with wings can qualify within 107% then why not.

If F1 can implement the DRS, which gets complaints for not working or working too well after every single race this year, then why not go for something completely different. At least the teams will have a predictable technical problem to deal with.

[Bagwan]

Fuel weight and therefore fuel usage is an important factor in the running of an F1 package.

Do you think that there would be a significant effect on races if the actual fuel remaining in the tank at the end of a race was weighed and championship points awarded? The more fuel, the more points.

Weight based handicapping is obviously not an appropriate option but adding a fuel management component to the overall championship points could be. I see this as no more gimmicky than the DRS and it at least has a technical component to it with points being earned by the team that gets the balance right.

Interesting idea .
To be less confusing to the average viewer , it might help to give each team a standard amount of fuel with which to start the race .

So , it becomes a "make as much power as you can , but save as much fuel as you can at the same time" situation .

You could then award points afterwards , for the order of how much fuel each car had post-race , top to bottom .



That might work , but figuring out the actual number of points you gain or lose over this , in relation to it's importance against actually winning the race would commit us to endless times of intense debate and argument .

[Whyzars]

Far too complicated and boring for the casual fan. Finishing order should be finishing order, not decided an hour after the chequered flag.

I'm all for restricting fuel use to encourage more efficient engines but this isn't workable.

I think the fuel loads are known by the car electronics at every stage so it shouldn't take any time to learn the final points for the race. The podium would not be affected at all.

A better way forward for F1 could be fuel based rewards as opposed to fuel based restrictions which may have a very negative effect on the racing in the long term.

Everyone is driving around today to finish on vapours. The teams are going all out in the first half and maintaining their position for the rest of the race.

If a way can be found to reward fuel that is NOT used then the field should be far more compressed. Any gap that is built will be at a price in fuel points and a leader is given an incentive to not get too far ahead.