The FIA (Federation Internationale de’ l’Automobile) have researched and released a white paper to the FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) regarding possible standardisations of parts in the coming seasons. These include gearboxes, suspension, brakes and wheels. These items would have a so called ‘no compete’ status and would be standardised like the ECU (Electronic Control Unit)."We believe that it is possible to cut budgets by 60 percent by 2012," Renault's Briatore said. "We want a sport which is for the fans, not for the engineers."
While this is a good point it has always been that Formula One is the pinnacle of motor sport and that development and design run hand in hand with the racing spectacle. Sometimes it produces seasons such as 2004 with Ferrari dominance. It also provides seasons such as 2006 where the balance of who had the better car swung between Renault and Ferrari. This produced a thrilling championship between Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
McLaren's Ron Dennis added: "F1 should not be a prescriptive formula where engines and a large group of components should be standard."
Perhaps a happy middle ground could be met with some standardisation on key elements to lower costs and speeds. Such as having a single tyre supplier has over the last couple of seasons. Call me radical but couldn't you have a no restrictions formula but limit the amount of fuel? Would this not cause clever design as apposed to just chucking money at engine development and wind tunnels? It would also provide valuable research and design which could be implemented on road going cars.
Remember the turbo days of the late 80s when cars used to run out of fuel and petrol economy was a real issue? Wouldn’t development in making Formula One more efficient be excellent for road cars and the environment? Or are the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone scared of this prospect because of all the oil money invested and fly away races in major oil producing countries?
0 comments:
Post a Comment