How to Make Formula One Awesome Again...

[Matheus Machado]

Do you have an idea how F1 could be more open for different types of engines while not going full "dirty"? Maybe the fuel limit just needs to be raised or something...

That is why I vouch for efficiency, no matter what engine is used. This new way technology can be applied on road cars, although personally I don't think cars are an issue for the environment, and in F1 the least contributing factor for its environmental impact are its race cars.

My idea was to make the plans of the car open after the last race of the season so the slower teams can, in theory, copy the cars of the top teams. Maybe for some licensing payment so the top teams have some good thing coming out of that too.

That is already done, what limits the other teams is the budget imo. Therefore I think letting them compete against teams of similar financial capability is the best way to make their fights more appealing to the public. It is already what happens today, but having an officially sanctioned championship would be nice imo. Licensing parts would turn out the same way engines are nowadays the way I see it.

 

[Matheus Machado]

Get rid of all the electrical throttle "nannying". All the teams have traction control via the back door with those electronic start maps they employ. When was the last time you saw a driver light up the rear tyres with blue smoke at a race start?

Why don't you see as they have practiced the start numerous times both on car and in a simulator. It isn't that hard to do a great start with F1 grade slick tires... Drag racing cars have no traction control either and every time they start I don't see any wheel spinning. Talking about cars that generate 10000+HP and 17000Nm torque here..

 

[JPL083]

Get rid of ridiculous downforce and put just basic wing's front and back. No need of 100 different compound's tyre's, hard, medium, soft, like it was the best but add qualification hypersuperultrasoft's. One lap with as much as you can go, that's the point of it. Ditch the electric crap that there is way too much, nothing to do with racing. Refueling back to give tactical play. Different size of engine's. Less practise time, Saturday one practise, then qualification. Sunday race FLATOUT! Driver's need more meaning, that's why they are there! F1 is for flatout-racing, not this goddamn save everything you can imagine crap. There's a good start.

 

[Daggerman]

What happened to grooved tires, BTW?

On paper that looked like a great idea. Limit traction, increase brake distance. At the same time stay with almost the same lateral grip, and "improve" spinning car's behavior (comparing straight-driving grip to side-sliding grip the latter is less catastrophically lower than the former when you have grooves).

Did they get rid of them because they couldn't make them robust enough under the power and downforce conditions present?

Certainly in the early days they were very “knife edge”. Drivers complained that if they got even a little sideways it would result in a spin. The knock on effect from a team’s point of view was that they had to run more net downforce to make up for the lack of mechanical grip.

 

[aka2k]

The answer to the F1 is simple as life: stop regulating it. Set a loose formula for the car: open wheel, some dimensions and weight limit for the car, safety measures and that's it. The rest is up for the manufacturer, just like in the 80's. Want to slap a V12 engine and see if it will be better than a Turbo with V6? Do it. Want threaded tires plus a V8 with some hybrid crazy system that feed syrup on the pilots face? Awesome.

The moment F1 started all these regulations shoved down teams' collective throats, that was the death of it. Oh, that and Hermann Tilke stuff.

 

[dud]

Certainly in the early days they were very “knife edge”. Drivers complained that if they got even a little sideways it would result in a spin. The knock on effect from a team’s point of view was that they had to run more net downforce to make up for the lack of mechanical grip.

That's strange. They should "damage" lateral grip less than traction and braking.

But maybe the lack of traction grip made them hit the pedal harder. Then, when traction grip breaks you slide wherever the g forces take you. If you prolonged traction needs into turns then I can see how this comes together.

Another reason not to rely on cute ideas I guess. Very few of them work out.

 

[Jurld]

Oh, that and Hermann Tilke stuff.

This is actually my main problem with the series (well that and Ferrari not being able to find a way to catch the effin Silver Arrows, but I digress...)

The modern tracks have way too many corners where nobody can follow another car very closely, let alone get alongside or god-forbid pass. They pretty much have one overtaking opportunity at the end of the long straight where it inevitably meets a hairpin or a chicane. These track designs compound everything that may/not be wrong with the over-reliance on aerodynamics and extremely short braking zones.

 

[Jurld]

Oh... also, I'd LOVE to be able to feel like I could afford to go to one of these races in person.

 

[RasmusP]

That is why I vouch for efficiency, no matter what engine is used. This new way technology can be applied on road cars, although personally I don't think cars are an issue for the environment, and in F1 the least contributing factor for its environmental impact are its race cars.

Absolutely!
Last year I read an article about "The Diesel Problem". ONE visit of the Queen Mary 2 cruise-ship is worse than all diesel-cars combined in Hamburg... But yeah, better restrict cars in some areas of the central city. Which only hits the people who can't afford a new, "clean car"

 

[ArkanHell]

Put Nordschleife again in the circuit list, at least one F1 race become interesting

 

[rega]

I'm very much with paul, even if his suggestions sound a bit backward for some.
There are different ways to make f1 or modern racing more atractive of course.
For me personally, it's all about making a good show.

These would be the things i would change, if i had a say:

• Make it more centered arround people, personalities, fans and viewers. In Todays world evererything is about major corporations and their brands. Thoug a brand is nothing but a name and a logo without the people that breathe life into it. Also, there should be much more focus on the drivers.
  
  
• Over excesive aerodynamics totaly kill the action on track an have made racing boring. And there is no denying that. I'm aware that for some people, strategies are an interresting part of racing. But nowadays it's strictly about strategies. No wheel to wheel racing anymore. Plus it adds absolutely nothing to the development of streetcars, because on the road you simply don't need it. So reduction of aerodynamics is much needed, all across the modern racing landscape.
  
  
• Make it more manual overall. Again, for me racing was and always will be about the person who controlls the thing. The hero (heroin) who tames the beast. It's the perfection of modern cars and computer that made racing boring. When nobody goes sideways, no one overshots or pickes a wrong gear and basically everyone is driving on rails, what's left? Figures. And figures only. To me as a viewer, that's a very small part of the fascination.

Of course, there are the ones who say, F1 is all about the fastest cars in the world and high end technology. The days when you could say, that the cars carry the latest and greatest, technology has to offer are long gone.

Last thing: On TV you can't tell if a car is running 300 or 350 kph, so it realy doesn't matter.
What does matter for the eye is, if it's a challenge to drive, cause then you can watch the driver work with it.

 

[Sky]

just cancel it.

 

[rega]

just cancel it.

Or that... Time for something new!

 

[Marco Waechter]

1. (most important, for me): Lighter cars, like around 630 kg again. Only this will make the cars look or 'feel' quicker again. More agile moving in car to car battles, in chicanes and everywhere. Later braking, no brake discs at the limit all the time anymore. (Even Ham or Alo said all of this. And its obvious by just watching for me.)
The wheel movement maybe will increase a bit as well again, making it look like as the driver is actually driving and kind of positioning the car.
Cars from '91 - 2009+ look ["feel"] like cars made out of paper (= positive ) for the spectator, compared to the more heavy and fuel loaded current GT-Formula ones.

2. 'No' fuel saving please, everyone -as standing on the grid- should be able race each other in the highest engine mode throughout the whole race, and the engines should be made for this / not breaking down or whatever just of that (can't be that difficult to do so and also not for the hardware, because in a way there is not much difference stress wise).

3. Less Tilke Tracks. Sepang is cool because of the wide track and some corners + corner flow. But the newer tracks with its slow 90° corners everywhere are a grey/depressive-feeling mess. Also they are too plain.. .
Put Imola back in the calendar for e.g., = more old tracks (they have some certain kind of character).
Even the India circuit was not bad with its uphill and downhill passages and else (at least get that track back in the calendar), yes even Korea was not that bad (at least it had its character, with slow, mid and fast sections = more versatile to drive on and watch, than all this other mentioned 90° turning tracks).

4. Maybe less setup restrictions. As far as I remember the max. negative tire camber is limited to a quite low value compared to mid 2000s and earlier rules. Which makes the cars look like driving boringly on rails as well (with their almost straightened out tires)... .

 

[dud]

It was already proven unfair due to track rubbering and in case of rain.

Other sports are still doing it that way, though, e.g. ski racing. If you have bad luck you have bad luck. It is a season with many races.

Random order qualifying on Friday, reverse from that order on Saturday. Qualification is in order of places-from-leader added for both runs, if there are ties then less combined time from leader wins. If you cannot complete one run you get stuffed into a "one-lap" group behind the two-lap group, within that group you get ranked analogously. If you don't get a round in at all it's random order behind one-round people.

 

[DND]

I think F1 is in need of fixing, but saying it needs to be more like the amateur hour that is Indy Car is ridiculous. Those idiots can't start a race, or restart, or restart again without running into each other and cause another yellow flag. Lastly when the brilliant announcer made a comment at the end of the race that when the leader was punted by an F1 wannabe that this is what the fans expect and want made me realize that once again tuning into indycar is nascar without fenders and has about as much talent.

 

[XCalinX]

I think it's still fairly awesome.

 

[Knoxstar]

I sat on the exit of Turn 2 in 1971 at Mosport. I don't disagree with reducing the downforce by a lot and some of the other suggestions but go back and watch some old timey races. Cars were strung out and passing was not as common as you's think. Disagree? G. Villeneuve won a race in around 1980ish with a horrible Ferrari chassis but a brute of an engine. No one could pass.

The aero is part of the problem as are most of the things mentioned. As I've said before, F1 needs to decide whether it wants to be relevant as a technological leader or a sport. Indycar has a clear direction and some guys really having to fight the new car if you watched the St Petes race.

Tracks are very safe and that is good but many don't afford proper braking zones. I don't like gravel traps. It is hard to get your money's worth watching safety car laps. However every tarmac run-off area should have a F1 car's width of grass or some slippery surface and then the tarmac area.

I'm all for hybrid and alternate power sources when we're talking road cars but for racing they are overly complicated and not very relevant. Again, F1 needs to decide what they want to be.

Not mentioned I don't believe but relating to costs is the fact that teams could afford the very best drivers as a ridiculously high budget would not be required.

Also, this should get some "Disagrees' but Monaco should be dropped or changed to afford more passing .I absolutely hate running it in a sim because there is little to nothing you can do if your competition is up to par.

 

[Jonas Bögemann]

To actually bring up own ideas:

Open engine regulations: 4,500cc NA, 1,500cc charged. Pistons, Diesel, Rotary, 2-Stroke whatever. Also gas turbines, electric and fuel cells should be allowed, with respective performance-regulating restrictions in however these things work lmao
And optionally they should allow one hybrid system that can be applied to the rear axle. But to balance between the hybrids and non-hybrids, the minimum weight will be reduced to 600kg with driver.
Engine regulations should also focus on specifying the basic construction of an engine, not too much about friggin valve materials, that bore needs to be 80mm and the displacement may only deviate 10cc downwards.

This would lower the level of constructing an F1 engine and generally would make the sport more interesting.

Reliability regulations: Engines only need to last through one weekend, so no engine swaps after practice, but also no need to use overly strained engines through the whole year. Manufacturers are free to do whatever they want with them after the race though. Ideally they would start selling them maintained to smaller teams...
Breaking this rule means that the driver starts last in the race, if multiple drivers fall victim to this, the order is decided on when the engine is swapped.

Overall car specifications: 2150mm wide (like until 1992), 1000mm high (also rear wing), 1400mm front wing and body work width, 1000mm rear wing width. Flat underfloor, diffusor starts at rear axle centre line and can be as high as the wheel nut line. Maximum frontal overhang: 1200mm, rear: 750mm
Maximum horizontal rear wing elements: four, excluding monkey seat.
Free placement of exhausts, engine mappings that inject fuel without throttle response are deemed illegal.
Aerodynamics regulations stay mostly liberal, excepting things like "no aerodynamic element infront of the cockpit may be higher than the lateral cockpit top line". (Basically no odd wing constructions in the sight of the driver).
Also the nose height will be fixed to 330mm, which is just below the wheel centre line and minimum width could be kept as now. This would get rid of the penis noses we have right now and prolly prevents such Räikkönen-Alonso incidents like in Austria 2015.

Cockpit protection: I don't like Halo. It's half assed and frankly ugly. But unless it actually turns out to be a hindrance during races, or may even take it's role in a major incident (Such Schumacher-Liuzzi cases as in Abu Dhabi 2010 are legit these were Halo is the opposite of helpful), it won't disappear. And removing a safety device for aesthetical reasons is as illegitimate as bringing in more tyre compounds because it might "improve the show".
For both sides then I would offer, to remove the Halo under the argumentation that it would be incomplete and compromises too much, but allow the use of closed cockpits.
Teams would be free to construct their own solutions, given the correct safety standards.
Especially the non-hybrid teams may toy with these ideas, as their cars are potentially even underweight and give room to experiment in that regard.
Mind that nowhere it is written that monoposto need to be open.

Other stuff: Tyre war, simple qualifying system, 2003-2009 point scheme (it awards points closer, therefore a serial winner won't dominate too soon in the season) and generally a more liberal approach to the championship. Allowing to use and test the cars freely, also in other races, using customer cars, one car, three cars (only the two best collect points though). Also the 1973-1995 number system, since it allowed teams to identify with two numbers.

Generally I am in favour of a purist (not traditionalist!) approach to this category. No extra fuss for the media, just the sport and it's characteristics of Formula 1.
I also understand that many people may like to see some small old-school things returning. But it is important to figure an approach which fits to the legacy of this sport, allowing and maybe favouring such things, without forcing too much.

At this point I want to thank everybody who actually bothered to read all of this lmao

 

[Dr. Death]

I agree and disagree with manythings.

I agree with the N/A "select your number of cylinders type"

Would you rather have a V6 or V8 that gets similar power than V12 but on a VERY high RPM and consumes less fuel or a much more torquey V12 that accelerates better but weights a lot more?

I also agree fully with the downforce and the transmission suggestions. Would make an entry barrier a lot less important and would bring back seeing a lot of good drivers that have less money to put into racing.
Although i would say that im open to just keeping it paddle shifters.

I also 100% agree with the suggestion of making tracks have less runoff and be more dangerous to those that overstep the boundaries. I would also like to see faster tracks and the FIA be less pussified about having a **** ton of chicanes and traps for the cars to not go too fast.

Another thing that i would like to see in very fast tracks would be the removal of DRS, and the removal of power steering, having more downforce force the drivers to be much more arm-strong when turning.

Not only would this make the entry barrier even lower in the economic sense but it would also mean that there would have to be a lot of careful planning in tracks with many turns yet long straights.

However, i firmly oppose the idea of making brakes steel. They are a very important safety measure and the tires obviously dont mind the carbon ceramic brakes. They aren't that expensive anyways compared to the rest of the car, so there's no reason for me to oppose them.

A last thing i would like to add is that i agree and i support the FIA's current effort to make teams have less and less to deal with in terms of replacements, as it also lowers the economic barrier.

I would love to see teams have to keep a single chassis, a single ECU, a single engine, and a single transmission for an entire season for each driver. Maybe im alone in this one but i believe that this makes it so that richer teams cant cheat the system having OP components that wear out quickly, but instead have to rely on reliability too.

Oh, and cars today dont have TCS, just so you know.