Berger feels that the driver will be key in 2008...

[motormania]

Autosport have reported that Berger feels that with the TC ban from next year, the driver will become an even more critical part of the whole team.

It has been long thought that the introduction of TC has had an impact on sorting the good guys from the bad. OK, the supreme guys were bound to stay at the top, however Senna was always against TC and I wouldn't question someone with his kind of car control.

There was a piece in last week's Autosport (can't remember off the top of my head which contributor now) but they were saying that alhtough TC will not have a big effect on Q due to one-lap not really effecting a tyre, the truth will be shown through a race distance by those who can feather the throttle better than others, and in turn protect their tyres for longer.

I have noticed that with the ITV graphics that pop-up from time to time when showing in-car footage, the symbol for TC is always fully on, long before a car leaves the apex of the corner, which does make you think that some drivers today are just flooring the throttle and leaving the computer and IT bods work out how to put power down onto the black stuff via those silly tyres (bring back slicks!!).

So, could we see a new order in 2008 between team mates, those who can feather and those who can not. Brundle has always commented on Button's gentle approach to driving his cars, if he had something half decent under his arse, would the TC ban benefit him more?

Will Lewis' hard charging on the opening laps that we've seen recently be as aggressive next year, with the knowledge that a computer can no longer sort it out?

Alonso and Kimi appear to have an aggresive attack mode too, will they need to be more gentle, and if so could it effect their driving style again (change of tyres seemed to effect them this year), and what about the rest...

Will there really be a changing of the guard, and as Berger says, will the driver become even more key to the success of the team next year? (about bloody time in my view).

Edited by motormania on Wednesday 15th August 14:00

[AlexS]

This is Lewis' first year WITH traction control and he seemed able to charge pretty hard without it last year in GP2.

[Baldylocks]

AlexS said:

This is Lewis' first year WITH traction control and he seemed able to charge pretty hard without it last year in GP2.

Even with TC he still seems to keep the rear end fairly loose compared to other drivers.

[trickywoo]

Its only a matter of time before someone finds a launch / traction control system that is undetectable and we will be back to the Shoemaker Benneton situation.

[AlexS]

Isn't next year the first one with the standard ECU or am I getting ahead of myself.

[irs]

I thought most feeder series where without TC anyway, so surley these guy's already know how to drive to the max with out the aid of computers.

It will hit those who have been in the sport the longest, the new guy's will far better. Button given the car to it, will be good, so fingers crossed Honda get the air tunnel working properly, and they can give him something to race at the front.

[johnph]

AlexS said:

Isn't next year the first one with the standard ECU or am I getting ahead of myself.

Yes - which is how they are able to enforce the ban.

[g4ry13]

Is launch control going to be banned as well? I can't wait for the days where TC and launch control are removed from the sport as there'll be a lot more driver involvement. I know the starts will be a hell of a lot more interesting than they are now.

[ELAN+2]

launch control will be restricted, they'll have to work out the ideal revs to drop the clutch at for the quickest start, some wheelspin will be advantageous but the different circuits will have different grip levels, the driver will have to moderate the throttle once the clutch is engaged. It should separate the men from the boys!! Button hardly ever has his TC cut in IIRC (possibly sets it so), Barichello's cuts in very early, I believe LH's set up is similar to JB in this respect.

I still rekon they should have 3 pedals and a gear stick as well though

[Altrezia]

Heidfield will probably crash and explode next season. When we were at silverstone watching the F1 this year i couldnt believe how much he relied on TC compared to just about everyone else.

[Vesuvius 996]

Here's how we fix F1.

3000cc normally aspirated engines
Manual gearboxes with clutches and H gate shift
No ABS or TC
Slicks

[nrayner]

Vesuvius 996 said:

Here's how we fix F1.

3000cc normally aspirated engines
Manual gearboxes with clutches and H gate shift
No ABS or TC
Slicks

Standard Diffuser.

[ArtyBruce]

Vesuvius 996 said:

Here's how we fix F1.

3000cc normally aspirated engines
Manual gearboxes with clutches and H gate shift
No ABS or TC
Slicks

The problem with 3,000 cc and 19,000 rpm is that the cars would just be too fast for safety. 2,000 bhp/ton or something. You would need to reduce the revs.

Manual gearboxes are out because they eat engines and make F1 very expensive. Computerised gearboxes protect engines.

No ABS or T/C is spot on. Of the current top 4 Massa will be hardest hit, followed by Alonso.

Slicks, with current downforce would give too much grip. The drivers would black out. I agree that we need a lot more mechanical grip, but we must lose aero grip at the same time.

[Mr_Thyroid]

All you need to do is ban traction control, limit wings and then leave it be for at least 5 years. All the team should close up and we'll get a Spyker on the front row of the grid.

It would be great to see sparks spraying all over the place out the back of the car again.

[davidd]

Vesuvius 996 said:

Here's how we fix F1.

3000cc normally aspirated engines
Manual gearboxes with clutches and H gate shift
No ABS or TC
Slicks

And lets all drive to the races in our ford escorts ....

There has to some progress, I'm not saying that F1 could not be improved as clearly it could be but I think that manual gearboxes are not the way forward...

Less downforce is the way to go initially I feel.

D

[cj_eds]

ELAN+2 said:

launch control will be restricted, they'll have to work out the ideal revs to drop the clutch at for the quickest start, some wheelspin will be advantageous but the different circuits will have different grip levels, the driver will have to moderate the throttle once the clutch is engaged. It should separate the men from the boys!! Button hardly ever has his TC cut in IIRC (possibly sets it so), Barichello's cuts in very early, I believe LH's set up is similar to JB in this respect.

I still rekon they should have 3 pedals and a gear stick as well though

Without Launch Control it'll be good to see if DC still has the ability to leave his grid spot. He used to be pretty good at gaining a few places off the start line, but after the introduction of LC he lost that advantage.

[skinny]

talking to one of the BMW engine guys, no tc will not make that much difference on corner exits - the drivers will fairly quickly adapt to it, being as they are meant to be, the best in the world. the main difference in the way the car behaves will be the lack of the other associated systems like engine push in braking

[Penguinracer]

If there has to be progress then why don't we have unlimited development, disallowing anything not overly explosive or radioactive. We will all need to stand back 5 miles from the circuit armed with telescopes watching the rocket-powered cars pull 12 G through the corners as their vertical-thrust jet engines push them down onto the track!! Is this a sport or a lab? Is it about sportsmen or nuts & bolts? I think the sport's objectives need to be refined.

[ELAN+2]

cj_eds said:

ELAN+2 said:

launch control will be restricted, they'll have to work out the ideal revs to drop the clutch at for the quickest start, some wheelspin will be advantageous but the different circuits will have different grip levels, the driver will have to moderate the throttle once the clutch is engaged. It should separate the men from the boys!! Button hardly ever has his TC cut in IIRC (possibly sets it so), Barichello's cuts in very early, I believe LH's set up is similar to JB in this respect.

I still rekon they should have 3 pedals and a gear stick as well though

Without Launch Control it'll be good to see if DC still has the ability to leave his grid spot. He used to be pretty good at gaining a few places off the start line, but after the introduction of LC he lost that advantage.

I over heard some gossip from the renault guys that they had a sensor in the front wing that detected when the jump start sensors were turned off (these are in the track)at the same time as the start lights go out, hence Alonso was able to sear away from the 2nd or 3rd row and still be in the lead at the first bend! they arent using it this year though!