What 5 F1 rule changes would you make...if you could?

[Scott]

in no particular order...

- ban blue flags

- nail down the 'team orders' rule so there can be no abuse.

- open up wing regs, but keep them in defined rectangles.

- ban any and all barge-boards, aero mirrors or any other non-body aero aside from the wings (diffusers would be allowed)

- open up engine regs, but keep them within a maximum displacement, no turbos.

[stealthhaggis]

1. Allow engine rules that encourage engine manufacturers back to the sport by offering alternative fuels, turbos and different configurations ie V6, V8, V10 or even W16!
2. Ban Blue Flags
3. Have a minimum of 3 tyre manufacturers in F1
4. Reduce wing sizes
5. Bring back refuelling.

[Jericoke]

1.  Eliminate two cars per team rule.  This allows for bigger teams to fill out the grid, and smaller teams to focus resources.

2.  Create rules about the aerodynamic 'wake' of cars.  It should be EASIER to follow an F1 car closely, not HARDER. 

3.  Open the engines back up, let them improve over the season.  There's only 4 suppliers now, with three of them tied up to big teams.  Keep the number of engines allowed though... will introduce some strategy to the over all proceedings.

4.  Something has to be done about tire degradation.  Engines are limited in size and revs.  Aerodynamics are limited in surface area.  Surely there are ways to limit the tire construction that isn't inherently dangerous.  Fuel is required to be the same kind that is sold to the public, why not require tire compounds to be an off the shelf formulation as well?  It will either disintegrate quickly, making tire changes more tactical, or it will reduce grip, putting far more 'driving' in the hands of the drivers!

5.  Change scoring entirely:  1 point per pass.  An inverted grid means the fastest cars are at the back of the grid, with the most opportunities to pass.  No blue flags needed, as passing back markers counts towards your score.   Teams will suddenly back any and all rules that encourage passing.  Team orders will be much more difficult to disguise (can you imagine Massa sitting on the tail of an HRT for 40 laps?)  Pit stops are less urgent, as you lose nothing while in the pits, so stringent safety won't be cumbersome.

[Canada Darrell™]

Good one Scott!!!!!

1 - no blue flags. pass or shut up Fernan... 

2 - Go ahead, have team orders but NO MORE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TO DRIVERS!

3 - bring back refueling but with standard, off the shelf gas pumps

4 - bring in a Nascar consultant or two to help figure out how to get some passing done

5 - get rid of tracks like Hungary where there is really only one, maybe two places to pass

6 - yeah yeah it's 6 but I'm on a roll here!  Only allow 6 people MAX over the wall during pit stops.

[Monty]

1. Keep all the rules as they are for several years (it should be possible for a 3year old car to race and be close to the pace, therefore really reducing the costs)
2. introduce push-to-pass buttons (allow an extra 1000rpm for 10 seconds 10 times in a race)

[cosworth151]

1. Open up the engine regs, much as stealthhaggis said. In that respect, make them more like the LeMans series. No forced induction (turbos or blowers)

2. Let the teams cut their own tire deals. If one team wants to go with Avon, another Goodyear, yet another Dunlop, let them. Set size and basic safety standards, they let them have at it.

3. No race fixing, I mean, team orders.

4. Bring back refueling.

5. Put the races back where the fans are. Right now, the Kra and Arabian Peninsulas each have twice as many races as all of North America. Ban anything by Tilke.

[John S]

Good topic Scott.

Some rules I should like to see, in no particular order are:-

1, Each team must use an appointed test driver in at least one of the practice sessions at all races (max 2 sessions), this can be done by swapping for a listed driver or by use of a third car. The test drivers can be varied from race to race if teams desire.

2, Amend the blue flag rule so there are no penalties, it should be just a warning after all.

3, Reverse the top ten on the grid at each race, but to even it up for top drivers award points for the top 10 quali times - 10/8/7/6/5/4/3/2 then 1 - nothing for 10th, this avoids drivers deliberately not trying.

4, Allow teams to run/sell a chassis from the previous year. Might be a cheaper way of bringing the backmarkers up to speed.

5 Award 3 points for the fastest lap of the race. Should mean some late tyre changing from cars just out of the points to put on a charge.

 

  

[Scott]

My favourites so far...

Bring back refuelling.

Eliminate two cars per team rule.  This allows for bigger teams to fill out the grid, and smaller teams to focus resources.

Change scoring entirely:  1 point per pass.  An inverted grid means the fastest cars are at the back of the grid, with the most opportunities to pass.  No blue flags needed, as passing back markers counts towards your score.   Teams will suddenly back any and all rules that encourage passing.  Team orders will be much more difficult to disguise (can you imagine Massa sitting on the tail of an HRT for 40 laps?)  Pit stops are less urgent, as you lose nothing while in the pits, so stringent safety won't be cumbersome.
I don't think this one would go over well, although in principal it makes complete sense.

no blue flags. pass or shut up Fernan...

bring in a Nascar consultant or two to help figure out how to get some passing done

Only allow 6 people MAX over the wall during pit stops.

Put the races back where the fans are. Right now, the Kra and Arabian Peninsulas each have twice as many races as all of North America. Ban anything by Tilke.

introduce push-to-pass buttons (allow an extra 1000rpm for 10 seconds 10 times in a race)

Allow teams to run/sell a chassis from the previous year. Might be a cheaper way of bringing the backmarkers up to speed.

and a couple of new ones...

Bring back in season testing.  As much as 21 days per season (plus unlimited off season), and hey, TELEVISE it, even if you put it on after midnight so we have to tape it, or better yet, use that newfangled internet thang, and video stream it to whoever wants to watch it...free of charge.

Stop trying to get the teams to save money...take it back from Bernie!!

[lkjohnson1950]

1. Teams may still only run 2 cars, but they can sell or lease cars to privateers. This
    used to be common for teams like Lotus and Cooper.

2. Cars must have low noses, and 2 element wings front and rear, no diffusers. The
    reason cars have trouble passing is too much down force. Let's get it under 1G.

3. I like the idea of 6 guys over the wall in the pits, but how about tires that are hard
    enough that they don't leave marbles around the track. Clark once won 4 races on
    the SAME SET of Dunlops. It can be done.

4. No hydraulic valve springs. Make them out of regular metal and get rid of the rev
    limit. Set the rules to generate engines of about 1000 BHP. How about 4 liters,
    production based, no turbos, no cylinder limits.
 
5. No carbon brakes. One of NASCAR's best points is the drivers must conserve brakes.
    The carbon ones are toxic anyway. I fear the day pit crew members start
    developing lung diseases.

6. Bernie MUST GO.

Lonny

[SennaMan]

1. Allow any configuration/aspiration/ of engine up to 5000 cc - even diesel.

2. Allow teams to contract with any tyre maker and change contracted supplier during the season as many times as they wish.

3. Make blue flags ‘advisory’ only but strictly police and increase penalties for 'negative blocking'.

4. Double the points for finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd;

award one additional point for:
 
winning pole position;
 
fastest race lap;
 
leading most laps;
 
for finishing the race provided you have not finished in a race-place point scoring position [currently up to 10th];

Award three extra points for breaking/setting the race lap record.

5. As far as is practical, eliminate aero-parts etc. that make it harder for following cars to pass.

6. Cheeky bonus rule:
 
BAN flavio BRIATORE, murray WALKER and max MOSLEY from all F1 GP tracks!  

 
 

[Scott]

5. No carbon brakes. One of NASCAR's best points is the drivers must conserve brakes.
    The carbon ones are toxic anyway. I fear the day pit crew members start
    developing lung diseases.

A typical NASCAR driver uses his brakes 4-5 times per race.   

[John S]

5. No carbon brakes. One of NASCAR's best points is the drivers must conserve brakes.
    The carbon ones are toxic anyway. I fear the day pit crew members start
    developing lung diseases.

A typical NASCAR driver uses his brakes 4-5 times per race.   

The rest of the time they use the car in front to slow them down. 

[cosworth151]

The only time I used the brakes on a dirt track car was when I loaded it on the trailer! 

[Warmwater]

Great subject... Send a copy to The FIA please!

1. Reduce reliance on aero wings & gadgets by limiting the sq footage (area) of bodywork. This would allow overtaking which would give drivers a chance to demonstrate their skill. It would also reduce the overall cost of F1 because there would be less space for advertising... thus less money available 

2. Only one car per team. Solves the team orders problem and further reduces cost.

3. One set of tires per race. Harder compound would reduce the problematic marbles.

4. No mandatory pit stops. Keep refueling ban.

5. Bring back testing, but only one or two days immediately before or after a race wee kend at the same track, open to the public.

[lkjohnson1950]

5. No carbon brakes. One of NASCAR's best points is the drivers must conserve brakes.
    The carbon ones are toxic anyway. I fear the day pit crew members start
    developing lung diseases.

A typical NASCAR driver uses his brakes 4-5 times per race.   

Not at short tracks like Martinsville, even New Hampshire and Phoenix require constant use of the brakes, and many drivers have run out of brakes at The Glen. The points are: carbon brakes are a bio hazard, and they work too well. 

Lonny