Whiting points finger at lack of midfield quality

[Monty]

So the 'expert' says it isn't the current regulations but actually the poor quality of the midfield teams that caused the lack of overtaking! His reasoning is so stupid it hurts. The statistics show there was less overtaking across the whole field last season. It is clear to anyone with a brain that the midfield cars couldn't catch the top teams let alone overtake them. But it was equally clear that the midfield teams could not overtake each other, the leading teams could not overtake each other, in fact one Mercedes couldn't overtake the other Mercedes!!! This is obviously due to the aero effects and therefore totally caused by the regulations 
Rant over ..... Happy New Year 

[Jericoke]

Formula One rules have ALWAYS favoured the car ahead, that's why pole position is so prestigious.  That's why the rules allow designing a car that is difficult to pass.

I've stated my opinion before though:  current F1 cars are designed to run in clean air.  That's why the leader almost always scampers away while his teammate gets mired down fighting with other cars.  If you're a midfield team, why design a car that runs well in clean air?  You'll never get there, why not design a car that runs best in the miasma left by the car ahead?  The best teams in F1 are traditionally the ones with the most imagination, and imagination will be what it takes to get out of the current rut.

[Monty]

I totally agree with your concept Jeri (he says patronisingly) but......
The problem with miasma (fantastic use of the word by the way - oh, that sounds even more patronising  ) is that it is chaotic and unpredictable. It is therefore impossible to design a car to operate specifically to suit. Generally mid-field cars simply run more downforce to compensate and this (to some degree) can be dialed in when required. The problem with the current regulations (and several older iterations) is that they encourage complex aero packages. You are of course correct that every type of racing car causes turbulence. However, the F1 cars with their massive and complex front wings, barge boards, venturi generators, etc., etc. make such a mess of the air that it disrupts a huge area behind the car which stretches back over 50metres and effects cars following as far back as 2seconds. Even simple fluid dynamics simulations show that smaller wings and fewer baffles & diffusers result in smaller wakes and the 'dirty' air cleans up much quicker. The 'equation' is simple; reduce the size/complexity of aero components = reduced downforce = reduced turbulence. This has a two fold advantage, the turbulent air is reduced allowing cars to follow closer but, because the following cars are themselves less reliant on the aero performance, the wake causes them less problems anyway.
I have driven non-aero single seaters, mild-aero single seaters and complex-aero single seaters so I have some concept of the difference. F1 must have an aero package - it provides the fastest lap times and the mind-bending cornering speeds, it also adds a huge technical challenge to the designs which F1 should have. However, if the regulations limited the size and complexity of the aero packages I am sure cars could follow closer, 'draft' (as you North Americans call it) and overtake in a way that is currently impossible.

[Scott]

I would like it if they came up with an extremely simplified wing design (front and back) and only use the moulded body for aero, with no protruding bits other than mirrors (and make those a spec part for the whole series).  I bet there would be some nice looking shapely cars, and a lot less miasma  (I had to look it up  )