wow can someone explain the buttoms on the steering wheel ?

They need to change their racing program to be more like this: (The Japanese are so ahead of us)

http://www.crazyhill.com/ah_fai/E_co...rFormula01.jpg

More passing or not this is a step backwards for sure...I guess it makes sense though, with the auto industry in the kinda shape it is in now.

im liking the increased emphasis on mechanical grip and less emphasis on downforce for grip..
should make for fast medium-low speed cornering where more passing should happen, instead of only passing on long straights or at the end of long straights by outbraking..

blue: f1 has been stepping back for years.. the cars are nowhere near their potential. from v12s, to v10s, to v8s, the cars have been constantly detuned to keep the drivers safe. also from slicks to grooved tires, from double decker wings to single, etc... not to mention many tracks have been slowed down by adding chicanes on straights.. the cars dont even hit 300kph anymore on any straight

part of the new aero package stems from the fact that front wing can now be controlled and changed by driver input. This means they can dial in less or more wing.
the removal of most of the sidepod aero design means the rear wing will get more clean air, meaning more downforce, also meaning it can be smaller.
F1 bringing back slicks also means more mechanical grip and less aero needed, hence....less wing

F1 sucks. It's lost the magic and this is just another nail in the coffin.

Really sad to see this.

Great point. F1 cars are no where near their 'maximum potential' just at the maximum the rules allow.


Obviously you have not been watching the last couple seasons of F1 nor do you understand why these changes are being made.

The last 2 years have come down to the last race of the season. New teams have found their stride and new exciting drivers have found victory. 7 different drivers won races last year, two of which was their 1st time at the top step of the podium.

However, one of the downsides of the last two years or even 10 years has been the dirty air caused by the wake of the cars, which makes passing almost impossible. The 09 cars are might look more simple, but the changes are being made to make passing easier and in all truth, to make mistakes more common (just take a look at what Massa said about driving the F60).

If you are so worried about how the cars look, download the last season and replay it over and over. You could just get over how the new cars look and realize these changes are for the better.

rich

i can't wait for next season.. i have a feeling its going to be the most exciting in many years and the mid pack will be far more competitive as its a clean slate for everybody. going to try catch the singapore gp next year, last year caught the last gp in montreal, and a couple years back caught the last year of the v10's at suzuka.

I like how they incorporated the wings into the mirror support. Very sneaky

U see bigger spoilers on the cars in the "Hall of shame" thread. :haha:

-KC

cant wait to see it on the tracks

I understand why they've made the changes but I just don't like it.

Formula One used to be about pushing the limits of physics and nature. While they have always had rules, in the past, it was just more exciting to watch and even more exciting to see how the cars would perform.

The last few years I tried watching but haven't been able to get into it the same.

It almost seems like there should be a class above F1 where limits can be pushed.

I wonder if they will use these new ones at the Shanghai F1 this year?

For sure.

F1 used to be about pushing the limits of technology, and that's what got me into watching it.

As much as I like to see close races and lots of passing, it looses something for me when this has to be accomplished through rule changes which limit technology.

Formula 1 might as well start calling themselves the european NASCAR.

It still is -- though the focus has changed. Look at KERS, for instance, as a system that could have a very practical application on roadcars. 20k rpm redlines (materials engineering notwithstanding) and high speed aero -- not so much.

I think that there's a balance between the technological aspect and costs. A superduper unlimited racing series would be interesting, but it would have tremendous financial and human costs. Who would run something like this, when F1 team participation and cost is so much an issue?

Aside from the simple dollars and cents angle, one reason why technology has been limited a bit by rules is simply driver safety. IIRC it was one of the reasons why grooved tires were introduced several years ago (to reduce cornering speeds... which they got back with aero right quick).

I'm not being a snob, but when F1 specifies a car and engine package, then you can call it a Euro-NASCAR.

f1 is now about pushing the limits within the limits... they seek every competitive edge within the FIA rules.. its still about showcasing technology by using what is available to them

Well there were already talks about engine homologation, and it might become a reality in the near future.

Oh yeah, NASCAR does not homologate engines.

I too have heard the news and agree - running a spec engine would suck arse.

AFAIK the latest spin on things was that there would be a third party engine manufacturer (Cosworth) that would produce a spec engine, but teams would be free to develop their own engines.. so Ferrari and Mclaren would still be at the top and then there is a kludge of second- and third-rate teams that use an equally noncompetitive engine.