Thursday 11th August 2011

Ecclestone Says No To Electric Pit Lane

F1 boss rules out electric-only running in the pits on safety grounds

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Plans for F1 cars to run solely on electric motors in the pit lane have hit the buffers - in the form of an objection from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Ecclestone reckons the absence of engine noise would be dangerous for those working in the pit lane.

"Formula One is absolutely not the right place to have electric engines," Ecclestone told the Daily Express. "It's like having ballet dancers with sneakers. More comfortable, but it doesn't work... There's no way that it will be electric in the pit lane. People could be killed because they won't hear the cars coming."

Thus, article 5.19 of the new technical regs, which states that 'the car must be run in electric mode (no ignition and no fuel supply to the engine) at all times when being driven in the pit lane' looks pretty much dead...

But as for what this will do to the planned doubling in power of the KERS system when the new 1.6-litre turbo V6s arrive in 2014, well, your guess is as good as ours...

[Stew2000]

+1 for Bernie.

[ellisd82]

Wow...Finally Bernie talks some sense! I don't like the Idea of Elec bikes for the same reason, but with bikes we are generally never seen anyway, so I make sure I am heard.

[UltimaCH]

What about installing a horn in an F1 for the pit lane

[The Danimal]

Blimey. I actually agree with Bernie for once. His point was perfectly illustrated last night when I was walking through the gym car park and suddenly ended up laying on the bonnet of a Toyota Prius that had unexpectedly pulled out of a parking space on 'ultimate ninja death silence mode'.... The driver was very apologetic.

[oilit]

why is it already in the regs then if god says no? (or does this article just read that way and its only in a draft set of new regs?)

[oilit]

The Danimal said:

Blimey. I actually agree with Bernie for once. His point was perfectly illustrated last night when I was walking through the gym car park and suddenly ended up laying on the bonnet of a Toyota Prius that had unexpectedly pulled out of a parking space on 'ultimate ninja death silence mode'.... The driver was very apologetic.

hmmm green cross code though - could have been a cyclist

[Mermaid]

Electric cars on the streets,even more people affected..

[GFWilliams]

The Danimal said:

Blimey. I actually agree with Bernie for once. His point was perfectly illustrated last night when I was walking through the gym car park and suddenly ended up laying on the bonnet of a Toyota Prius that had unexpectedly pulled out of a parking space on 'ultimate ninja death silence mode'.... The driver was very apologetic.

I nearly got run over by a prius, in the pistonheads car park of all places, earlier in the week

[EDLT]

oilit said:

The Danimal said:

Blimey. I actually agree with Bernie for once. His point was perfectly illustrated last night when I was walking through the gym car park and suddenly ended up laying on the bonnet of a Toyota Prius that had unexpectedly pulled out of a parking space on 'ultimate ninja death silence mode'.... The driver was very apologetic.

hmmm green cross code though - could have been a cyclist

I don't see many cyclists pulling out of parking spaces.

[CocoUK]

I thought Renault were working on a solution involving a 'flare' that they set off during the pitstop phase? It seemed to work well for Heidfeld in Hungary.

[robmlufc]

Why would someone just be standing in the pitlane without having a cheeky look to see if anything is coming? I doubt you can hear them coming as it is, especially through the race with the other cars blating past.

[Nick3point2]

How much can the pitlane crews actually hear with ear defenders and helmets on? they will know a car is there but won't be able to pin point where, and if some cars are passing on track at the time, I doubt they can hear the car in the pitlane.

But I imagine this is the best thing that Pistonheads could ever hope for, I'm surprised no one has asked when the U-turn on KERS and DRS will be and when they will go back to V12s.

[cjj799]

As it is I'm not looking forward to 1.6L V6's. Sounds like something you'd have in a Cortina. Hope they dont sound like Cortinas.

[rj1986]

They could make it like wrestling!
Ever time a car enters the pits, it has fireworks, a titantron video, and intro music at the pit entrance.

[drakart]

I think they should have to stop on the white line and get out and push it to their pit box. The leaders pit boxes are at the far end of the pits, the crucial part being that you can drive from your pit box. This would give the slower teams a chance to beat the "faster" teams. This would be much more fun.

Bernie.

[oilit]

EDLT said:

I don't see many cyclists pulling out of parking spaces.

valid point :-)

BUT

I think the point I was trying to make though was who in their right mind crosses a road or car park without first looking to see whats coming???? Its the same with these people with iphone/ipod headphones on, since their ability to hear when cycling or walking is impaired does that negate the need for them to use their visual senses to determine danger?!


Unless of course another national phenomenon is that its ok because as a pedestrian if i get knocked over i can always go down the no win no fee option......and the insurance company will pay out because the car driver is always at fault when a pedestrian is involved .... if that is the case, then good grief - time to emigrate and leave the place to fester !

Edited by oilit on Thursday 11th August 13:23

[rxtx]

I've almost been run over by a Prius because I couldn't hear it, on a one-way street temporarily (unbeknownst to me at the time) given two-way access due to roadworks blocking off one end. I'd popped into the road because some people didn't think they should make any space on the pavement for me (pretty common in London). It's much more of a problem in areas with pedestrians.

[pagani1]

When will F1 realise KERS is
1. Dangerous
2. Potentially lethal
3. More weight to lug around
So why would they want more ELECTRICITY on the car?-Bonkers
Lets build F1 cars that are much more complicated then they will never finish and we can all get on with our lives-ha!

Jean Todt & Bernie Ecclestone have 2 things in common size & love of ferrari.

F1 is on holiday because?

[MrRA]

I really wish the FIA would leave the sport alone. They argue that the sport has to change with the times and that it must reduce its costs yet they constantly change the rules and regulations, as such causing design changes which cost the teams money to implement.

[thewheelman]

I remember when F1 was entertaining....