The Official F1 2009 Thread

[TDE30]

Are races going to be shorter, fuel tanks larger or both remain the same and it falls to the teams to develop better KERS and fuel mileage?

Per the Competition section of Autoweek, 23 March:

These ideas were scheduled for submission to the FIA World Motor Sport Council on 17 March. FIA President Max Mosley also intended to use the meeting to outline his own proposals, likely to include an even more radical approach to reducing costs and making the sport affordable for new teams.

2010:

- Engine available at €5 million per team per season

- Gearbox available at €1.5 million per team per season

- Standardized KERS (put out to tender, with a target price of €1-2 million per team per season)

- Target a further 50% reduction of the 2009 aerodynamic development spending

- Specified number of chassis, bodywork and aerodynamic development iterations (homologations) during the season

- Prohibition of a wide range of exotic, metallic and composite materials

- Standardized telemetry and radio systems

- Commitment to recommend new qualifying format

- Radical new points-scoring opportunities (eg, one constructors' championship point to be awarded for the fastest race pit stop)

- Further testing reductions (four four-day single-car pre-season tests plus one single-car pre-season shakedown)

- Reduction of grand prix duration (250km or a maximum of one hour 40 minutes) pending the approval of the commercial rights holder

- Commitment to enhance consumer experience via TV coverage

Now these are just proposals made up by FOTA that were presented to the FIA, so a lot of things in there might never happen, but the shortened race distance sounds very likely come 2010.

More information on the 2010 Formula One season located here.

Good question.

I personally hate the no refuel rule, but understand the reasoning. I like that strategy comes into play in F1.

But no tire warmers? Is that really going to save any money?

Agreed, such a miniscule and inexpensive aspect of Formula One and the FIA deems it necessary to do away with it.

[E30Kaiser]

guys i found this photo, and thought i would share it with you.

Hahahaha! Vettel is my favorite driver racing for many reasons, and this is definitely one of them.

As for the tire warmers, not only is it not going to save much money but is down right dangerous for the drivers.

[PiercedE30]

Has anybody actually taken a look at the 2010 technical regs?
I was looking over on f1fanatic.co.uk and was looking at the benefits of the cost-capping regs and the unlimited regs. I found this interesting:

9.1 Transmission types :
No transmission system may permit more than two wheels to be driven.
This Article will not apply to Cost-Regulated Teams.

9.9.1 The KERS must connect at any point in the rear wheel drivetrain before the differential.
The restriction to only the rear wheel drivetrain will not apply to Cost-Regulated Teams.

Will we see 4-wheel drive cars next year?

edit: source

[z31maniac]

I don't see how you would do it or the benefit. The teams are bitching about the added weight of KERS, how much would a 4WD system weigh?

Where would you put the transfer case and driveshaft? Only thing I can think of, may sound crazy, put an electric motor up front to drive the front wheels?

[BeirBrennerE30]

cant we just go back to 2004 please...

[The Driver]

F1 Sucks now, the sport gets shittier an shittier. More restrictions, more dropped tracks because of safety issues, more politics and less funding. I'm just disgusted with the sport compared to 5 years ago with V10's.

F1 shouldn't have to be Eco friendly or super safe, it's the pinnacle of motor sport where the greatest minds an drivers come together to engineer and race the best at the greatest tracks. The drivers know the risks and the cars are safe as it is, I really don't see the point anymore.

Next step F1 requires each car have it's own slot car rail to ride on...

God every time I see/watch this sport it just makes me more fucking disgusted every time. The sad part is it's all politics an glam now, even though F1 always attracted the upscale crowd. I'm glad schumi got out when he did, atleast he was able to drive a car and remote controlled saftey kart with 10286 govenors.

[PiercedE30]

I don't see how you would do it or the benefit. The teams are bitching about the added weight of KERS, how much would a 4WD system weigh?

Where would you put the transfer case and driveshaft? Only thing I can think of, may sound crazy, put an electric motor up front to drive the front wheels?

I know it is HIGHLY unlikely to actually see a 4wd F1 car next year, I would not be surprised to see a KERS unit placed up front for better weight distribution.

F1 Sucks now, the sport gets shittier an shittier. More restrictions, more dropped tracks because of safety issues, more politics and less funding. I'm just disgusted with the sport compared to 5 years ago with V10's.

F1 shouldn't have to be Eco friendly or super safe, it's the pinnacle of motor sport where the greatest minds an drivers come together to engineer and race the best at the greatest tracks. The drivers know the risks and the cars are safe as it is, I really don't see the point anymore.

Next step F1 requires each car have it's own slot car rail to ride on...

God every time I see/watch this sport it just makes me more fucking disgusted every time. The sad part is it's all politics an glam now, even though F1 always attracted the upscale crowd. I'm glad schumi got out when he did, atleast he was able to drive a car and remote controlled saftey kart with 10286 govenors.

Absolutely. The FIA needs to remove the injector location requirements and let them go to direct injection. At that point they will see huge increases in fuel mileage and power. That can definitely be carried over to the manufacturing level, as if it weren't.

[E-Thirty]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75074 Mosley's son found dead.

[The Driver]

So far here's the shit list I can think of off the top of my head that happened since they dropped Indianapolis (Which attended, year before the last - where they did race if you remember the safety issue, half didn't race).

They dropped Indianapolis - It's too fast was their excuse... too fast? Were are racing right?

BAR releases Torque converted, gains a slight advantage. BAR forced redo everything on the chassis and the torque converter is now banned.

After that was the Tire's no more slicks, period....

Next Refueling/pitting limits per race... WTF?

After that, the discussion of downgrading to V8's was shot around... Boom that happened. Apparently to challenge teams more an make the field equal. How is that equal that means more chassis will have to be redone an revamped costing more. Everyone knows the lower level teams just spruce up last years leading teams cars they get from them... So logically it's only going to hurt the lower level teams anyway.

After that was the stupid aerodynamic reg's. MIND YOU THEY HAVE THE FUCKING BALLS TO LIMIT A CARS DOWNFORCE HOWEVER THEY WERE THE ONES THAT INSTATED MAXIMUM AERODYNAMIC "COVERAGE". For those of you who don't know what I'm referring to basically the board said the wings an so forth must be a certain size toooo....

A. Help the downforce on the car.
B. Limit the cars performance to make field more Equal.
C. Maximize key aerodynamic features so they were able to fit more sponsors & Endorsements!

Answer... Take a guess C!

Next after that HUGE budget cuts were palced on teams to make things "more even" once again (BULLSHIT EXCUSE). Guess what they limited the teams budgets for development for engine etc by over 90%! (Not sure what year maybe it was 06 or 07)

Here's what I don't get about this! If you want to instate rules maximizing sponsorship, thus more MONEY right? Why would you have cuts the same year? You know where that money is going? Into those FAT fucks running the poltics of the sport, not the teams thats for sure.

Yes, the drivers are paid well but what about the rest of team. You also have to figure a ratio of some sorts. If the drivers are making money like that you know that bastard ecklestone is fill his fucking pockets. God this topic just gets me so mad he's trashing the sport all for profit! They need to break away an start their own league this is BS!!!!!!

Also other BS F1 F up's...

*Dropping the Canadian circut - guess what now I have to fly to monaco or somewhere to see F1.
*Stupid Brake covers - God they are hideous
*Even more strict aero reg's for diffusers etc...

New goals to ruin the sport even more!

Now they want to get eco friendly, Really were talking about 16 cars on a circut that are more effiencent then a prius! Not to mention the exhaust from an F1 car is so much more pure an clean then any street vehicle. That's all besides the point, they shouldn't have to worry about damn eco friendly pricks! Hell half the big name endorsers of the sport destroy the wild life everyday lmao.

But seriously 16 cars + 70 lap's for 20 circuts a year! GIVE ME A BREAK! Use the money you were going to use on eco development and that will be able to buy all of europe priuses! Problem solved!

*4wd idea's? Are they serious? When did WRC take over F1?

RANT OVER!

[TDE30]

Absolutely. The FIA needs to remove the injector location requirements and let them go to direct injection. At that point they will see huge increases in fuel mileage and power. That can definitely be carried over to the manufacturing level, as if it weren't.

Excellent idea. My biggest issue with modern-day Formula One is that they couldn't care less about advancement. These technologies (e.g. direct injection, etc.) should trickle down through major motorsport series (FIA, ALMS, WRC, etc.) and eventually make their way to production road cars, not the other way around. The FIA is more concerned with making the series "fair" and trying to encourage new teams to enter the sport (giving the FIA money,) and trying to get as many fans as possible; they're losing focus on the quality of the sport while trying to increase the quantity of spectators. It's no longer a motorsport, it's big business.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75074 Mosley's son found dead.

Wow, tragic.

:(

[Dave]

The FIA is more concerned with making the series "fair" and trying to encourage new teams to enter the sport (giving the FIA money,) and trying to get as many fans as possible; they're losing focus on the quality of the sport while trying to increase the quantity of spectators. It's no longer a motorsport, it's big business.

I've got news for you, susnshine, that is what professional motorsport at the "highest" levels is all about.

[hugh jass]

you guys really want to return to the era of $250 million budgets and races devoid of any sort of action all in the name of technology? f1 sucked ass in the early 2000s. last season was the best racing in years, and the action this year has been great as well. imo, the newest regulations are helping the action on the track, not hurting it.

[Hick]

i think the budget cap is a great idea, without it teams that have 'little' budgets will be able to race.

The budget cap w/o technical regulations will favor new, radical designs that would not come about under the current tech regs.

[TDE30]

I've got news for you, susnshine, that is what professional motorsport at the "highest" levels is all about.

Not saying that I have a problem with the FIA encouraging new teams into Formula One or with them trying to boost spectator numbers, it just seems like that is their only reason for creating all of these regulations. I know all professional motorsport series are concerned about making a profit, but unlike most others, FIA is turning Formula One upside down while doing it.

I guess brushing on what Joe posted, a budget cap with less of these technical regulations (tire warmers, pit stops, aero, KERS, etc.) is what I'd like to see. Give the teams an option, allow them to experiment with new technologies. I could better understand it if these new regulations were for the good of something (trying to conserve fuel/use different types of fuel, etc.) but they are trying to scale these teams budgets down ten fold, remove some of the most infamous venues from the schedule, giving drivers exorbitant fines/penalties, changing the points system for no apparent reason, I could go on and on. What are they trying to accomplish with those things?

I'm not asking for Schumacher 2000-2004, and I agree that 2007 and 2008 were some pretty exciting seasons (numbers don't lie,) so why all of a sudden does the FIA see it necessary to clusterfuck things?

[Dave]

Super Aguri died.
Honda pulled out.
Other Teams were probably grumbling about doing the same.

The global economy is a big reason.