Revisions to the 2014 season regs are on the books. We've already heard that the engine formula is moving to 1.6-liter turbo sixes. A new rule being added requires F1 cars to run solely on electric power for the entire time they're in the pit lane. So less drama, and no more terrific engine sounds as the cars exit their pit stalls. What do you think?
Is it any wonder everybody is flocking to the newly-reunited ACO/LeMans? Peugot, Audi, Aston Martin, Porsche, Jaguar, and others all going for the top-tier LMP1...
Paging Maroon92!!
They're going to need to add a parking lot to the pit exit lanes to accommodate the cars that fail to re-fire when crossing the line.
Duke
SuperDork
7/21/11 3:47 p.m.
nderwater wrote:
Revisions to the 2014 season regs are on the books. We've already heard that the engine formula is moving to 1.6-liter turbo sixes. A new rule being added requires F1 cars to run solely on electric power for the entire time they're in the pit lane. So less drama, and no more terrific engine sounds as the cars exit their pit stalls. What do you think?
Ummm, is there anything except Bernie Logic in that at all?
nderwater wrote:
They're going to need to add a parking lot to the pit exit lanes to accommodate the cars that fail to re-fire when crossing the line.
Electric motor = Giant starter motor.
If it does really mean they can start the car without external help it might make some of the off track spins more exciting when the frustrated driver fires it back up and tries to get out of the gravel!
oldsaw
SuperDork
7/21/11 5:16 p.m.
Seems like a lame attempt to justify KERS..........
If Bernie had a hand in this, it will be short-term; he has some really big legal issues on his horizon.
It didn't say the gas motor couldn't be kept running or refired, only that motivation must be by electric motor.
for all that.. why not a diverter into a silencer while on pit row?
The new regs also say the car must be able to be started from in the cockpit so onboard starters will be required.
pigeon wrote:
The new regs also say the car must be able to be started from in the cockpit so onboard starters will be required.
it's about damn time.. the only race cars that should need an external starter are the Top Fuelers.
stroker
HalfDork
7/21/11 10:05 p.m.
more contrived BS and less reason to watch.
1.6L turbo Six?? That's cool, I still thought it was turbo 4's. A mini i6 would be sweet!
Really? All this bitching and whining as a result of electric only in pits?
While in some ways it sounds like an effort to justify putting the KERS on the car, it sounds like with KERS already there, it's just another variation on a pit speed limiter in practice.
ProDarwin wrote:
Really? All this bitching and whining as a result of electric only in pits?
All change is bad!
rabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabble
Eh, I like all the regs. Part of the joy of F1 is seeing all the goofy ways the teams circumvent the rules. It's like combining the fun of tax law or rabbinical study with racing.
NOHOME
Reader
7/22/11 1:03 p.m.
Why I agree that the F1 rules side-show has far superseded the actual racing, (is there still any racing?) it would be good to hear the public explanation for this game?
All the bellyaching about what? A safer pit lane?
They've got the motors why not use them and reduce the drama in the pits?
I don't think it's a bad idea.
carguy123 wrote:
All the bellyaching about what? A safer pit lane?
They've got the motors why not use them and reduce the drama in the pits?
I don't think it's a bad idea.
why not just run the entire race as a game on a mainframe computer instead of going to the expense of building the actual cars?
everyone in the pits at a professional race knows there are dangers and they accept those dangers- and how does making the cars run silently on an electric motor while on pit road make them more safe than having their loud gas engines running while on pit road? i'd think it would be a good thing to be able to hear the car that's about to run you over..
^Nah, if you're in the pitlane and aren't smart enough to avoid being run over during a race, you deserve to be hit.
As we've seen in the last couple of years there can be some very dangerous situations in the pit lanes. Electric won't stop all of them, but it will help with some.
And who said they'd be silent. I haven't seen anything that says the engine must be turner off, only that electricity be the motivation power. And with all the other cars 5' away on the track how do you tell if the loud gas motor is a pit car or one on the track, so that's a non issue.
Wait until the first mechanic or driver is burned by an electrical short or worse. Then KERS and this ridiculous rule will be eliminated.
Gas or electric, when the "lollipop man" lifts the lollipop, it's go time. Motivational power won't make any difference.
What I'd really like to see is the driver have the option of using the drag reduction flap system in the rear wing whenever and wherever he wanted to on the track.
Anybody know if the max engine rule per season will carry over to the 1.6 turbo motors?
In reply to: Javelin.
Yeah, the next few years at Le Mans ought to be pretty terrifyingly awesome. I watched all 24 hours live this year, and it was an amazing race. The drama, the passing, the close racing, the multiple classes. It was all great. More manufacturers, more pro drivers, more manufacturer and sponsor $...sounds even better. The glory days are back people...let's enjoy it.
As for F1. I enjoy F1, and I will continue to enjoy it. Electric in the pits doesn't effect me much. I agree, it would be much more interesting if drivers could use KERS to it's full extent (not just a certain amount per lap), and if they could use the DRS whenever they (the driver) deemed it safe and necessary.
(I am glad there are some that value my opinion).
NOHOME
Reader
7/22/11 11:14 p.m.
carguy123 wrote:
As we've seen in the last couple of years there can be some very dangerous situations in the pit lanes. Electric won't stop all of them, but it will help with some.
And who said they'd be silent. I haven't seen anything that says the engine must be turner off, only that electricity be the motivation power. And with all the other cars 5' away on the track how do you tell if the loud gas motor is a pit car or one on the track, so that's a non issue.
As someone who has already been freaked out by the Ninja Scooters that roam the hood and don't announce their arrival to a pedestrian, I have to aught when the word "Safety" is associated with this mandate; if you can't hear a wacko F1 pilot arriving on your butt with is infernal combustion engine on full boil, what chance do you stand with the electric motor running!?
This is going to look like bowling league night with pit crews being the pins. Might even go back to watchingF1!!!!