F1 2020 SEASON: NEWS - RUMOURS

Meanwhile Honda have extended deal in indy...

 

Doesn't sound like they are trying to go green really does it?? More like F1 PU is too expensive and they are not willing to spend way more than they expected to win a race or 2. Especially as there is a new PU spec coming soon, so guess they don't like the way it's going. I guess there is some exit clause in the contract with Red Bull/Torro Rosso (yes I know it's Alpha something or other) that meant Honda needed to notify RB sooner rether than later.
Unless RB decide to buy or licence the IP from Honda to develop a new PU they might have to run a Renault Can't see Helmut or Horner being happy about that. I bet Renault are so wishing there wasn't a cap on PU prices

What ever FIA/Liberty wanted to do with PU they will now be controlled by Merc, Ferrari and Renault. The risk of Renault pulling out will be high even with the new concorde agreement.

 

Imagine a grid of cars racing the ****-box Ferrari PU in a couple of years... Formula Ferrari... Exciting stuff!

 

Under the rules of Formula Ferrari any team that doesn't get caught cheating at least once in the season gets dsq.

 

Ferrari Ferrari still wouldn't win a race.

 

Reports that Mick Schumacher will partner Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo next year:

https://apple.news/AC0JiM877T9e-RVN95raqgA

 

F1 is going to have to change to survive. The circuits are unique, the history is amazing, all positives. Too many errors in the regulations in the past have brought it to a crisis point. Honda would stay if it was affordable where affordability is measured not in cost but return for the bucks spent. Entry for a new engine supplier has to be simplified, affordable, winnable and last but not least, relevant. Too many old schoolers have been setting the tone, new thinking is required. Indy has just two engine suppliers, not sure that works well either.
The cars at least need to be more hybrid balanced than today.

 

Much as I agree with your comment 100% ,I feel the end us nigh.

 

I can't argue with the possibility but if it died it would be replaced with something. Morphing into that new thing is the best outcome. I think COVID has had an impact, racing at empty circuits is sterile and must influence the mindset. Our lifestyles must be questioned but what the sport needs is more competitive racing.
You might be suffering from the demise of Williams as it was. I will take a positive view, the sport is theh home of a good deal of talent, throughout the whole team structure, mechanics, designers, specialists, leaders, drivers. They would not want it to die, there is enough grey matter to find a way to make it relevant.
Next month I will be glued to the Vendee globe, with Alex on his 5 attempt. An amazing race, true guts and talent shown by all. This race is close to what motor racing once was. The budgets are lower, the technology (carbon fibre) amazing. 2.5mm hull thickness. As alex said in a talk, 4000 people have made the summit of Everest, 600 people have gone into space, less than 100 have sailed single handedly non stop around the world.

 

I don't want to be doom and gloom, as I love F1 and have done since I was a little boy watching with my dad. But it's got to the stage now where sometimes I even forget there is a race on, and only see it on the sport pages of the internet. F1 has almost lost me and if it doesn't get more conpeteative soon, and tbh a more likeable front man, then I will turn my back on it for good.

There is too much other motor sport that is good, and makes it easy for the fans to follow. Formula E has been a breath of fresh air, the only downside is how hard the BBC try to hide it. And I've been watching so much British GT3, and other GT3, I think that's quickly becoming my favorite motorsport. F1 isn't shining as brightly as it once once, it still can win me back, but I'm nearly done with it.

 

F2 and F3 is always worth a watch. If you want some competitive racing that can always throw up a new winner, then I can't recommend Indycar enough. It's a fabulous watch.

F1 needs to find a way to level the power unit playing field a bit for some kind of short term fix to the current problems with the sport until there's a better long term solution in place. F1 has always had these issues though, just not a so seemingly long period of dominance that I recall.

 

I do wonder if the budget cap will actually make any difference at all. If there is any impact I feel It will take about 2 - 3 seasons. I have a feeling that Ferrari might be the only beneficiary. As they have very close a contact with more teams than the other teams.
As for the way forward, I was watching a youtube vid today, can't remember who it was, but they explained a few areas where Merc were doing things differently. Like longer wheel base which gives more space between front wing and brake ducts so the angle of the airflow can be lower thus enabling more air to be closer to the aero surfaces. A longer wheel base also allows more floor area etc...... Anyway it did go some way to explaining that it's not just the PU it is more the whole thing. To be fair that's what Toto has been saying...

So how to increase the closeness of the racing? Well remove Merc then the rest of the teams are so much closer Then reduce the aero by 25% so they can follow, recent aero changes seem to have been a step in the right direction, just need a bit more.
As for PU I think we almost need a standard IC component and then allow more energy recovery and deployment. Formula E are just using battery with a bit of recovery under coast and braking. F1 need to allow teams to develop different ideas on electric generation and deployment. Oh maybe the IC unit can't be directy connected to the wheels. So it's just a power generator that powers up to 4 motors. So effectively petrol is providing power to charge or deploy electrical energy to drive multiple motors? It's the way UK aircraft carriers work these days. Gas turbine to generate electricity that then provides electricity for motive power.
So in future the IC could be substituted for Hydrogen or other forms of power generation.

 

What they have done to the Ferrari power unit this season has back fired horribly. I know some people where happy to see Ferrari suffer but it's cost us any chance of racing.

 

To be fair what ever the FIA told Ferrari not to do has cost them hugely. Maybe in reality they and potentially their customers should have been deducted points for previous year. I am basing that on the assumption that Ferrari were/are the only ones to have broken PU rules!
I'm not a Ferrari fan but I do want all teams to play by the rules.

I agree that we have lost out on racing but rules are there to make it fair and equal for everyone, well bar the money!!
Somehow they need to reduce Mercs power but is that fair? Other teams seem to be closing in midfield wise but Merc are 1 sec faster than anyone, I do wonder if they are following the rules. It's just so big a gap.

 

Good points, obviously we don't know what rule, if any, was broken. I don't agree that the customer teams should have points deduced, as they don't have any say in what engines they were given.

Lets assume that the Mercedes engine is all OK, which I think it is. I think the FIA need to equalise the power for all the teams engines. But TBH I don't think Mercedes engine is their only advantage, I think their car is better too and I can't see how you equalise that quickly.

I bet most people are like me, and just want to see racing for the lead and the best drivers going for it all race long. But F1 has some baggage and needs to be seen as the pinicle of racing, it's a difficult problem to solve and I'm glad I'm not in charge of sorting it.

 

You are correct in that as the FIA have refused to tell the public what they had issues with we are in the dark.
Customer teams are a bit of an iffy one as you say they don't have any control of the PU. I would normally say if customer was knowingly using iffy bits to gain power then they should be punished also. I suspect you are right in that the issue was integral to the PU as all ferrari powered teams went backwards this year. So maybe they didn't know. If Ferrari did something that even covered the data up then even if the teams were looking closely at PU data - not sure how much PU data customer teams can actually see. They should know how much oil and fuel they put in though.
All very interesting... I wonder who will publish an autobiography and spill the Ferrari beans first???

 

Interesting news: Stroll tested positive for Covid after the Eifel GP.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/54626704

 

Sounds convenient, fly home then take test!!! Was that sensible from FIA? Also don't know where he calls 'home' but he says he tested +ve on Sunday but by following Monday he was -ve! Does it really only take 7 days to rid your self of all traces of the virus? Weird. Good for Hulk though well hopefully. Bit interesting that the only 2 drivers to test +ve were from Racing Point! OK so other teams have had +ve tests but only RP drivers have tested +ve!

 

The whole thing stinks , no change there then. The ones with the money have always , and will always dodge the bullet . Much as it pains me to say , the FIA etc have probably made the rules do bloody grey , there are **** loads of loopholes !

 

he didn't race.