AustinF1 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Great questions about F1's future posed here by F1B's Negative Camber (Todd McCandless): http://www.formula1blog.com/formula-1-nascars-gormless-cousin/comment-page-1/#comment-176723 Editor’s Note: I was just thinking, which is never good, and decided that F1 either needs to find a future or get back to its past. I then decided to do a little brainstorming with the F1B community. Remember, no idea is stupid because we’re just brainstorming here. throwing out outlandish ideas to see if we can find an interesting direction (ok, this is kind of a dumb idea but what the heck, maybe it’ll start a good conversation). I’ll start…here goes: What does Formula 1 owe society? Anything? I’ve become more convinced over time that the DNA of F1 is at risk of being completely changed with constructs such as high degradation tires, Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS), Energy Recovery Systems (ERS), engine size reductions, double-point races, racing and qualifying format changes and much more. Are we betraying the core precept of Formula 1 from, say, 1967? Are we chucking it all out of the window due to this quirky concept that F1 is merely entertainment wrapped in the giftwrapping of competition? ... What if F1 became a competition not only on track but off the track as well? What if Formula 1 was a name for technology innovation and became the “Intel Inside” of road car standards? It would be sort of like saying that that your Cadillac was developed on the Nurburgring but without the James May stigma that is attached to it. ... If Formula 1 opened technology up and allowed Williams to use their most creative hybrid systems, Ferrari to use their massive engine might and Mercedes to use their incredible engineering as well as McLaren’s fanatical attention to detail and performance, perhaps F1 could become more than just “the show”. ... Why place a limit on cylinders in 2014? Why not create a competition that demands 850hp from an engine that uses one third less fuel flow rate than 2013? Is that even possible? You may think so no but then landing on the moon wasn’t possible either. Creating nuclear fusion wasn’t possible either. If a team could make an engine with 12 or 4 cylinders that could produce 850hp at a third less fuel flow, why stand in their way? What if the competition was intended to create aerodynamic downforce of X pounds at under 100mph? Like the Michelin Green X Challenge in ALMS, what if the competition was to create tires that could withstand F1 punishment but decrease rolling resistance and increase fuel mileage by 5-10%? These innovations could also produce some interesting racing to be sure. ... Re: the point about number of cylinders, I totally agree. Go ahead and limit fuel flow and displacement to place the pressure on efficiency, but why dictate engine configuration? I just don’t get it. If F1 is truly looking for road car relevance, then why not allow the creative freedom to discover something that might truly revolutionize automotive travel? Also, why dictate methods of aspiration, ERS, etc. Let the teams determine how to get the most from limited resources, and they might just come up with something really special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinF1 Posted February 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Vileneuve: New era is destroying F1 1997 F1 champion no fan of greener, slower racing http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140214/f1/140219878#ixzz2tOynINsT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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