Basic problems/solutions with Formula 1. Opinion not Fact.

[iwantagta]

Various engine modes annoy me.
Why not have just 3 different modes; dry, wet, inter.
Benefits to it would be:
If someone *needs* to win they can run at say 95% max vs 90%.Resulting in more variability. Mercedes couldnt guarantee being 10% quicker each race, not able to turn down to 80% when they are 1/2 a lap clear. Risk/reward gambles, more variability.

Obviously fuel would need to be looked at. enlarge the tanks and make everyone start with a full tank.

[BlimeyCharlie]

I've enjoyed the responses and opinions people have about contemporary F1. Thank you all.

However, please can someone tell me how Alesi driving a V12 Ferrari in 1995 does not stir the soul? I remember standing at Luffield 2 that year and the Ferraris were a real highlight, sound and vision, just how it should be. This clip is Australia though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_MWx2-bD90

Sound and vision again, this time a V10 in 2001. Traction Control not my cup of tea, but what a machine...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwS0aCvxv5k

I guess that I, aged 45, can compare the old with the present. I will not spend money like I used to to follow the sport in various countries because it just does not stir the soul anymore.
Maybe if I was 20 again and had nothing to compare it to (as such, but we now have Youtube) then I might feel different, but to me they just sound broken, they all sound the same, the rules are confusing and the 'technology' is baffling. Tokens are for milk. Gearbox penalty? What? And if it rains then they start behind a road car...then still spin off/crash...

If I want to see Vettel in 2016, I have 3 days I can see him this year. On those 3 days it is impossible as a 'normal' punter to meet him. 25 years ago I could go to testing several times a year and meet him (actually his contemporaries Alesi/Prost if I was patient). For either free or £5.00 a day.

I may well 'live in the past' but the 'sport' of Formula1 itself lives in the past, or the rich history if you like. Hence the lap records, the stats, the tributes, the ex driver pundits, the this and general that.

What we must remember is that nobody at the FIA (sorry Haymarket!) will be reading anything we write here, let alone act on it. They don't listen to the drivers, let alone the fans.

As a quick observation, nobody (unless I'm wrong of course) has commented on the point I made about still following a road car around at (would you believe) road car speeds, just like Imola 1994.
Worse still in the wet, as no downforce is generated by a road car, or an F1 car at road car speeds, so not really safe. Standing water at 80mph following a road car is different to then driving through the same standing water at 160mph at racing speed. How is that 'safe'? The 'sport' is then open to the skill of the drivers to assess the situation from 'cold', just like a standing start. Yes or no?

My final thought for the day is that a lot of 'hybrid' road cars have to be plugged in to the mains. Why is that not seen in F1?
This is for the person who highlighted the Mercedes S500 as an example of Mercedes using the link between F1 and road car hybrid technology (quite rightly so) for marketing...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/s-class/8863...

Not having a dig at the person who posted the Mercedes S500 Hybrid/F1 stuff, but I see no plugs, no mains electricity...

Thanks to everyone and be interested in comments again.

[kambites]

BlimeyCharlie said:

My final thought for the day is that a lot of 'hybrid' road cars have to be plugged in to the mains. Why is that not seen in F1?

I don't think any hybrid road cars have to be plugged into the mains, it's just beneficial to do so. And whilst I've never actually seen it made obvious, F1 cars certainly are plugged into the mains (or at least into some external power source, I assume it's the mains) to charge their batteries between sessions.

I think the whole thing really comes down to what you want F1 to be. For me F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport which is not the same thing as the pinnacle of racing. In fact I'd go so far as to say the two things are mutually exclusive. If you want the best, most entertaining, racing you need to watch a series where all the cars are identical.


That said, if viewing figures are dropping F1 clearly can't go on as it is because the sponsors and major car manufacturers will start to leave.

Edited by kambites on Friday 22 July 08:00

[rdjohn]

kambites said:

That said, if viewing figures are dropping F1 clearly can't go on as it is because the sponsors and major car manufacturers will start to leave.

Edited by kambites on Friday 22 July 08:00

To me this is a key point. With 10,000 VIP seat venues like Baku and Bahrain, how can the whole of the F1 circus see the sport surviving when it goes behind a paywall. Why would a Putin want to promote an event if it has a worldwide TV audience of a few million?

I remember visiting CarFest and seeing a Monster Truck ride and thinking who could possibly interested in that? The answer, of course, was it might possibly have been the most popular attraction. Kids queuing for ages to get a ride, none were interested in the fabulous collections of race and sports cars. They are just not their era, they obviously prefer the stuff that look similar to the soft-roader junk that their parents drive.

I am not sure that the Social Media fascination with Lewis actually results in bums on seats, or eyes on the box. Apparently Andy Murray has many more followers, yet tennis is still seen as a middle-class pastime.

Unless the sport changes radically to gain a younger mass audience appeal, I believe it is inevitably doomed to become a minor irrelevance.

[whatxd]

PW said:

whatxd said:

I don't watch the sport any more because for me it isn't enjoyable

Good. People shouldn't waste their time on something that isn't enjoyable. And then waste EVEN MORE of their time describing in detail to people on the internet who can't do anything about it exactly why it isn't enjoyable. There is really nothing better to do?

I will overlook your condescending tone and simply say this. I would not go onto a golf forum and discuss the problems with golf because I've never liked it (not saying there are any problems with golf btw).

However, there was a time when I wouldn't miss a second of F1 coverage and that's no longer the case. You can put it down to "confirmation bias" all you want, but large numbers of F1 fans, or in my case, former fan, see a multitude of problems and thus don't watch any more. The declining viewing figures worldwide do not lie. I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing these problems with other people who feel the same way.

[Eric Mc]

There are certain people on PH who do not understand that the basis of discussion is that people with differing views air them.

They seem to think that only those who share the same point of view should natter and nod in agreement amongst themselves.

It's a fundamental lack of appreciation of what debate means.

[BlimeyCharlie]

Eric Mc said:

There are certain people on PH who do not understand that the basis of discussion is that people with differing views air them.

They seem to think that only those who share the same point of view should natter and nod in agreement amongst themselves.

It's a fundamental lack of appreciation of what debate means.

Good point made there.

In my opinion, having watched Senna, Alesi, Montoya, Hakkinen, Alonso etc, actually going right back to the 1970's, I find the dross served up as 'contemporary' F1 bland, devoid of soul, character and inspiration.

By comparing the 'sport' today to the 1970's means I actually have a comparison to base today versus yesterday to, admittedly my comparison also forms my opinion.

My opinion is not fact, hence the title of this thread.

Anyone can start a thread.

Does anyone remember the tyre compounds that Vettel was on 5 years ago at the Hungarian Grand Prix? Or Engine Mode? Radio messages? Diff Settings? Engine Mapping?

No?

Radio Ban? I've said elsewhere (to no answer) on here that how does the paying spectator 'benefit' from the team-driver radio messages...

[Mr_Thyroid]

I was wondering what would happen if setup changes were banned until after qualifying.

[paulguitar]

BlimeyCharlie said:

I've enjoyed the responses and opinions people have about contemporary F1. Thank you all.

However, please can someone tell me how Alesi driving a V12 Ferrari in 1995 does not stir the soul? I remember standing at Luffield 2 that year and the Ferraris were a real highlight, sound and vision, just how it should be. This clip is Australia though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_MWx2-bD90

Sound and vision again, this time a V10 in 2001. Traction Control not my cup of tea, but what a machine...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwS0aCvxv5k

I guess that I, aged 45, can compare the old with the present. I will not spend money like I used to to follow the sport in various countries because it just does not stir the soul anymore.
Maybe if I was 20 again and had nothing to compare it to (as such, but we now have Youtube) then I might feel different, but to me they just sound broken, they all sound the same, the rules are confusing and the 'technology' is baffling. Tokens are for milk. Gearbox penalty? What? And if it rains then they start behind a road car...then still spin off/crash...

I am also 45, was also at Silverstone in 1995 amongst many other years, and basically fully agree with you on everything you say.

The SOUL is indeed gone from F1, it used to be absolutely mind blowing live, now it is totally underwhelming. I feel so sorry for those fans who will see their first live F1 with these cars.


The magic has gone, I used to leave a race weekend with sounds and memories in my head that would stay there for months. My one and only hybrid race, Spain 2014, all I could remember was how much cash I had spent.


I have some great memories though. As OP said, the Ferrari V12's, 1995, for me, Alesi into Beckets in a sea of sparks, unforgettable. Another one for me, Hakkinen in 2001 at Spa, down-shifting into the bus-stop chicane. The sound was like WARFARE! The whole idea of going to Spa now just makes me sad, the thought of being in the campsite on the Thursday before race weekend, with all of those crazy German and Dutch fans playing the sounds of F1 thorough the big PA speakers they set up on stands by the tents, and all the anticipation, only to go to the circuit for FP1 and hear these awful sounding cars burbling through the trees...........

[BlimeyCharlie]

paulguitar said:

BlimeyCharlie said:

I've enjoyed the responses and opinions people have about contemporary F1. Thank you all.

However, please can someone tell me how Alesi driving a V12 Ferrari in 1995 does not stir the soul? I remember standing at Luffield 2 that year and the Ferraris were a real highlight, sound and vision, just how it should be. This clip is Australia though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_MWx2-bD90

Sound and vision again, this time a V10 in 2001. Traction Control not my cup of tea, but what a machine...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwS0aCvxv5k

I guess that I, aged 45, can compare the old with the present. I will not spend money like I used to to follow the sport in various countries because it just does not stir the soul anymore.
Maybe if I was 20 again and had nothing to compare it to (as such, but we now have Youtube) then I might feel different, but to me they just sound broken, they all sound the same, the rules are confusing and the 'technology' is baffling. Tokens are for milk. Gearbox penalty? What? And if it rains then they start behind a road car...then still spin off/crash...

I am also 45, was also at Silverstone in 1995 amongst many other years, and basically fully agree with you on everything you say.

The SOUL is indeed gone from F1, it used to be absolutely mind blowing live, now it is totally underwhelming. I feel so sorry for those fans who will see their first live F1 with these cars.


The magic has gone, I used to leave a race weekend with sounds and memories in my head that would stay there for months. My one and only hybrid race, Spain 2014, all I could remember was how much cash I had spent.


I have some great memories though. As OP said, the Ferrari V12's, 1995, for me, Alesi into Beckets in a sea of sparks, unforgettable. Another one for me, Hakkinen in 2001 at Spa, down-shifting into the bus-stop chicane. The sound was like WARFARE! The whole idea of going to Spa now just makes me sad, the thought of being in the campsite on the Thursday before race weekend, with all of those crazy German and Dutch fans playing the sounds of F1 thorough the big PA speakers they set up on stands by the tents, and all the anticipation, only to go to the circuit for FP1 and hear these awful sounding cars burbling through the trees...........

Ha, 45 as well, eh? Maybe it is us just getting old...
But when I see an RAF Tornado flying low near my house, or an F15 Eagle, I still get animated by the speed and sound, the noise, the whole thing is a bit too much to take in.

F1 cars used to be so compelling to listen to, the sound would echo off bridges and grandstands, they had character! They did indeed have SOUL. Not now.

I could tell a Ferrari was leaving the pits from a mile (literally) away, or a Mclaren Honda V12. Each time Senna & Berger lifted off the throttle there would be a big pair of flames from the exhaust for a split second.
There were even slight differences in sound to a Renault V10 compared to a Honda V10 in 1990 & 1991. You also had Lambo V12's and V8 Cosworths too.

Apart from the Honda now, which sounds broken, all the cars sound identical.

Attending F1 has never been cheap, but even the cheap recent testing at Silverstone did not appeal. The thought of being crammed into the one available spectating section, too far from the track to actually see things properly, watching identical cars 'fart' around the track...

No thanks.

[Flooble]

Ah you see, every generation has this issue with memories.

The older ones will say that the sound of a Tornado does not measure up to a Vulcan on a quick reaction take-off, where the ground itself would be shaking.

Of course, the ones before that will be talking about Merlin engines on full throttle, so that's a bit different ... mind you, they make your stomach vibrate too if you get up close.

I'm not entirely sure the generation prior to the "Spitfire Boys" would have been misty-eyed over the sound of a Sopwith Camel. Although there are people who rather like the noise from a Gipsy Major engine. To me, they just sound broken. And with the amount of oil being flung overboard, they look like it too ... to modern eyes anyway.

It's all subjective, as you so rightly note with the very title of the topic.

[BlimeyCharlie]

Flooble said:

Ah you see, every generation has this issue with memories.

The older ones will say that the sound of a Tornado does not measure up to a Vulcan on a quick reaction take-off, where the ground itself would be shaking.

Of course, the ones before that will be talking about Merlin engines on full throttle, so that's a bit different ... mind you, they make your stomach vibrate too if you get up close.

I'm not entirely sure the generation prior to the "Spitfire Boys" would have been misty-eyed over the sound of a Sopwith Camel. Although there are people who rather like the noise from a Gipsy Major engine. To me, they just sound broken. And with the amount of oil being flung overboard, they look like it too ... to modern eyes anyway.

It's all subjective, as you so rightly note with the very title of the topic.

Thanks, enjoyed reading that.

I love seeing and hearing planes like the Vulcan, Concorde, any jet fighter, B52, Blackbird, Spitfire etc etc.
The sounds last longer and make a bigger impression than what I remember seeing.

I guess we remember a lot of our favourite F1 cars because of the sound. For example, a 2002 McLaren looked much the same as a 2001 McLaren, but the sound...does anyone talk about how amazing the 2002 McLaren sounded? No.

I guess 'modern' F1 has fallen into the Sopwith Camel category, but even that isn't a good comparison because F1 is about business, entertainment. The Show.

Planes, trains, cars etc need to sound powerful, not efficient.
Economy and efficiency doesn't stir the soul.

It is subjective though, well said that man.

[Derek Smith]

I can go back to the 1960s. The sport has had ups and downs through that time. From 32 cars wanting to race to 18, and some of the latter could hardly be classed as racing.

I've gone through close racing, particularly the DFV years when every car had the same engine more or less. Then there were the years when McLaren and Williams dominated but the racing was still good most years. The Schumacher/Ferrari years were dire, with special tyres for the team and special consideration.

So I've seen some bad years but always stayed loyal. I went off a bit after Ratzenberger and Senna dies, but I came back.

The last few season have been among the best. Some really close finishes in the WDC, if not the races. There's been lots of fun down the field.

My only suggestion as to what is wrong with the sport, and it is fact I think, is with FOM. There seems to be no succession planning. We have brilliant ideas being brought in for one race. We have people fiddling with the rules seemingly on a race by race basis. It is almost as if someone is trying to make the sport look good enough to sell.

I'd like more genuine overtaking, but I remember in years past where a much faster car could not overtake a slower one. I've got an idea that I think would work but no one is interested.

It is good racing this year. I'm wondering what will happen when Ecclestone goes.

[paulguitar]

BlimeyCharlie said:

paulguitar said:

BlimeyCharlie said:

I've enjoyed the responses and opinions people have about contemporary F1. Thank you all.

However, please can someone tell me how Alesi driving a V12 Ferrari in 1995 does not stir the soul? I remember standing at Luffield 2 that year and the Ferraris were a real highlight, sound and vision, just how it should be. This clip is Australia though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_MWx2-bD90

Sound and vision again, this time a V10 in 2001. Traction Control not my cup of tea, but what a machine...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwS0aCvxv5k

I guess that I, aged 45, can compare the old with the present. I will not spend money like I used to to follow the sport in various countries because it just does not stir the soul anymore.
Maybe if I was 20 again and had nothing to compare it to (as such, but we now have Youtube) then I might feel different, but to me they just sound broken, they all sound the same, the rules are confusing and the 'technology' is baffling. Tokens are for milk. Gearbox penalty? What? And if it rains then they start behind a road car...then still spin off/crash...

I am also 45, was also at Silverstone in 1995 amongst many other years, and basically fully agree with you on everything you say.

The SOUL is indeed gone from F1, it used to be absolutely mind blowing live, now it is totally underwhelming. I feel so sorry for those fans who will see their first live F1 with these cars.


The magic has gone, I used to leave a race weekend with sounds and memories in my head that would stay there for months. My one and only hybrid race, Spain 2014, all I could remember was how much cash I had spent.


I have some great memories though. As OP said, the Ferrari V12's, 1995, for me, Alesi into Beckets in a sea of sparks, unforgettable. Another one for me, Hakkinen in 2001 at Spa, down-shifting into the bus-stop chicane. The sound was like WARFARE! The whole idea of going to Spa now just makes me sad, the thought of being in the campsite on the Thursday before race weekend, with all of those crazy German and Dutch fans playing the sounds of F1 thorough the big PA speakers they set up on stands by the tents, and all the anticipation, only to go to the circuit for FP1 and hear these awful sounding cars burbling through the trees...........

Ha, 45 as well, eh? Maybe it is us just getting old...
But when I see an RAF Tornado flying low near my house, or an F15 Eagle, I still get animated by the speed and sound, the noise, the whole thing is a bit too much to take in.

F1 cars used to be so compelling to listen to, the sound would echo off bridges and grandstands, they had character! They did indeed have SOUL. Not now.

I could tell a Ferrari was leaving the pits from a mile (literally) away, or a Mclaren Honda V12. Each time Senna & Berger lifted off the throttle there would be a big pair of flames from the exhaust for a split second.
There were even slight differences in sound to a Renault V10 compared to a Honda V10 in 1990 & 1991. You also had Lambo V12's and V8 Cosworths too.

Apart from the Honda now, which sounds broken, all the cars sound identical.

Attending F1 has never been cheap, but even the cheap recent testing at Silverstone did not appeal. The thought of being crammed into the one available spectating section, too far from the track to actually see things properly, watching identical cars 'fart' around the track...

No thanks.

Indeed, I am in total agreement with you, and an interesting analogy with the planes as well. I saw the Typhoon display several times last summer, and was absolutely stunned. The Vulcan is really something as well, I ticked a box by hearing the famous 'howl' at the Cosford air show, it gave me goosebumps......


So there we are again, back to sound. There are many things wrong with F1, but I think in many ways there always have been. I agree with what has been said here that the racing in the hybrid era has often been good, and I do love the way the cars are so clearly harder to drive with the increased torque. However, the fact remains that the visceral appeal of the cars has been decimated.


Back to 1995, here is a small story with I feel sums up how I feel. That year my older brother came along for Friday practice. He had no more than a passing interest in F1, but I worked long and hard on him and persuaded him to come along. We were still walking to the circuit just as the cars came out for first practice, and at that point could not see them, but only hear them. As per usual, Jean Alesi was first out, and as we walked to the gate, the full sound and fury of the V12 was singing all around us. What happened to my brother I remember to this day. He started walking twice as fast, and took on the mannerisms if a 10 year old kid! That is what the sound of F1 used to do! He became an F1 fan after that experience of seeing and particularly, hearing it live.


When I went to Barcelona in 2014, my girlfriend and I actually decided to miss Saturday morning practice to get more sleep. I would NEVER have done that in the normally aspirated era, NEVER.

[entropy]

Pretty much agree with these two:

Derek Smith said:

I can go back to the 1960s. The sport has had ups and downs through that time. From 32 cars wanting to race to 18, and some of the latter could hardly be classed as racing.

I've gone through close racing, particularly the DFV years when every car had the same engine more or less. Then there were the years when McLaren and Williams dominated but the racing was still good most years. The Schumacher/Ferrari years were dire, with special tyres for the team and special consideration.

So I've seen some bad years but always stayed loyal. I went off a bit after Ratzenberger and Senna dies, but I came back.

The last few season have been among the best. Some really close finishes in the WDC, if not the races. There's been lots of fun down the field.

My only suggestion as to what is wrong with the sport, and it is fact I think, is with FOM. There seems to be no succession planning. We have brilliant ideas being brought in for one race. We have people fiddling with the rules seemingly on a race by race basis. It is almost as if someone is trying to make the sport look good enough to sell.

I'd like more genuine overtaking, but I remember in years past where a much faster car could not overtake a slower one. I've got an idea that I think would work but no one is interested.

It is good racing this year. I'm wondering what will happen when Ecclestone goes.

PW said:

It's confirmation bias. F1 isn't mired in "problems" which need solving, it just seems that way because people only EVER want to discuss is what they don't like about the sport, and how they can fix it, rather than what they enjoy about F1. Again, and again, and again. Every thread, no matter what it is about, will always devolve into a whingefest. If all you see is wall to wall complaints, it's easy to come away thinking there is a "problem".

If all you saw was the opposite - with comment after comment, thread after thread, article after article praising the good bits of the sport, instead of moaning about how the sky is falling, everyone would probably think F1 is wonderful.

Seems to be particularly prevalent on PH - any thread about X seems to quickly be a thread about how awful X is. Best selling cars, best selling phones, best reviewed TVs/Film, top sports - despite all the plaudits & popularity, they are all a load of ste, according to this site.

Flooble said:

I'm glad it's not just me who finds this nostalgia for V12, V10, V8 engines rather strange. When they were around I found the noise rather tiresome after a while.

I seem to remember that when the V8s were introduced people really didn't like them compared to the V10s, then when the blown diffusers started the complaints started once more about how awful it sounded.

As soon as the V6s appear, and the V8s are suddenly the most glorious sounding engine ever created and their passing is mourned in every mention of F1.

I'm sure the V6s will join the ranks of beautiful racing engines whenever the next thing is introduced.

I've followed F1 since the early 90s and from school to workplace I was teased for following a sport that was akin to watching paint dry. Any PHer's familiar with this? F1 racing has always been boring to some extent.

F1 always had problems defined to its eras. Its easy to be nostalgic, wear rose tinted glasses on certain aspects and intricacies without the context and easy to say the past was better.

F1 V10s of the early 2000s are fondly remembered in this thread but the V10s were taken for granted then for who'd thought engine capacity would change? F1 cars in the early 2000s were vilified for having TC, auto downshifting gearboxes, pit to car telemetry. Lauda said what all the fans thought at the time and said a monkey/granny could drive an F1 car but Lauda ending up spinning a Jaguar in testing.

Another is tyre strategy. 1987 British GP is often cited as example of this yet the reality was that Mansell pitted because he had a damaged tyre. In the 80s and early 90s you usually did a whole race on a set of tyres, maybe a pit stop. Were readers of Autosport et al writing letters begging for more pits stops or is it we've become so accustomed today that it has become a necessity? In 2009 Bridgestone had that could last the race distance if it wasn't for the two compounds rule and you had people not liking one stop races.

And what is this soul I keep hearing about? Alistair Caldwell recently said he never had any fun in the 70s, F1 was a job and a business. I just think that people like to hark back to different era and say it was better because they don't like how the sport evolved. I'm as guilty as the next: LMP1 as so aesthetically unpleasing these days; NASCAR isn't quite the same now and then because it isn't so much a regional sport that featured the good ol' boys as it has become more professional and more money with kids entering the top level.

[paulguitar]

And what is this soul I keep hearing about? Alistair Caldwell recently said he never had any fun in the 70s, F1 was a job and a business. I just think that people like to hark back to different era and say it was better because they don't like how the sport evolved. I'm as guilty as the next: LMP1 as so aesthetically unpleasing these days; NASCAR isn't quite the same now and then because it isn't so much a regional sport that featured the good ol' boys as it has become more professional and more money with kids entering the top level.
[/quote]



The best way I can explain 'soul' is my little story about my brother and the 1995 Ferrari V12. It turns a non-fan into a little boy just from the sound. That's soul.

[Dr Z]

New: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfTsIVDgXWw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg10kcBFbHo

vs

Old: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uupZsfs_8s0

Different. Not better. Oh and there is a great deal of variety in the sounds of the different manufacturers even if they all have the same basic V6 config.

[paulguitar]

Dr Z said:

New: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfTsIVDgXWw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg10kcBFbHo

vs

Old: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uupZsfs_8s0

Different. Not better. Oh and there is a great deal of variety in the sounds of the different manufacturers even if they all have the same basic V6 config.

Yes, that pretty much sums things up for me. The current cars sound so terrible they would struggle to excite a kid, let alone someone who has experienced a Ferrari V12!

[Tango13]

I'll probably get flamed for this but here's how I'd fix F1, I'd swap some of the minimums and maximums round...

Firstly and most importantly I'd fix the rules for a minimum of five years so teams could take the long view.

Instead of having a maximum amount of fuel I'd set a minimum amount of fuel to be carried at the beginning of each race, a lot! And each car would only be allowed to have a maximum amount at the end, not much! This would mean having to drive harder to burn off the fuel so none of the fuel conservation tactics we're having to suffer.

No limits to the number of engines or gearboxes used either, manufacturers could then, knowning the rules were fixed for 5 years plus almost build a 'production' F1 engine or gearbox, Ford DFV ring a bell anyone?

Limiting aero would be a bit trickier, probably issue all the teams with a standard front and rear wing but allow a limited amount of ground effect.

Banning carbon brakes would save a lot of expense along with extending the braking zone making overtaking on the brakes easier, unless you're trying to pass Rosberg that is...

Reduce the number of pit crew to slow down tyre changes.

Only allow the driver two or three buttons/switches in the entire car, one for the fire extinguisher, one for engine on/off and maybe something else, ejection seat, laser cannon, warp drive, something along those lines...

I'd increase the minimum weight limit too, cut down on the exotic and thus expensive materials.

[kambites]

Tango13 said:

Instead of having a maximum amount of fuel I'd set a minimum amount of fuel to be carried at the beginning of each race, a lot! And each car would only be allowed to have a maximum amount at the end, not much! This would mean having to drive harder to burn off the fuel so none of the fuel conservation tactics we're having to suffer.

The firs thing this would do is drive every engine manufacturer (with the possible exception of Ferrari) out of the sport... hardly an ideal way to "fix" F1.

ETA: Although only having one engine manufacturer would certainly make the racing closer.