Should F1 have one-car teams?

[D-Angle]

Hello all,

I was just wondering if it would make F1 more interesting if the teams raced just one car instead of two. It would do away with team tactics, and also perfectly talented drivers being left to rot as the team No2. It would also open F1 up a bit more, as there would be room on the grid for 20 teams instead of 10.

Might fit in well with the new upcoming rule changes?What do you think?

[jamesc]

Yes!

One car teams, two car teams or in BRM's case 7 car teams!.

[eric mc]

Two car teams are a fairly recent concept. Up to the early 80s teams could enter as many as they thought fit. As Jamessc says, BRM once fielded seven cars. Ferrari often entered four or five, Mercedes entered four sometimes and Lotus also used to enter three or more. In addition, privateers would also enter "non-works" cars - such as Stirling Moss's Maserati, or the Rob Walker Lotuses and Coopers.

Much more flexible times.

[Munter]

Yeah lets have any number of cars in the teams but only the top 2 score points. That way Minardi and other small budget teams can put all their money into one car. Wouldn't it be great to see more cars on the grid? F3 and 3000 teams might start with 1 car and build up. Though I suspect the real cost is in development not producing 2 identical cars.

[chris_w]

Munter said:

Yeah lets have any number of cars in the teams but only the top 2 score points. That way Minardi and other small budget teams can put all their money into one car. Wouldn't it be great to see more cars on the grid? F3 and 3000 teams might start with 1 car and build up. Though I suspect the real cost is in development not producing 2 identical cars.

Another problem with respect to the Minardis and Jordans of the grid is the need for a paying driver. Imagine if they could only put Alex Yoong on the grid...

Like the idea but not sure it will happen any time soon.

[eric mc]

When there were three or four similar cars running, if they finished in the top six all these cars received constructor points, even if they were not owned or run by the "works" team cars.

[jimbro1000]

Now the concorde agreement is out of the window (or so I understand) it should mean the days of such flexibility are on the return.

[sook]

I think that the Concorde agreement expires in 2007, which is why Max Mosley has penciled in the changes for 2008.

[eric mc]

Sook - correct.