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What others are saying:
Each year the talk is of slowing down
the cars by removing tire grip and wing , always the short cure for
the speed worries. Each year the engineers come up with a way to
replace the speed and times that was to be removed. All that has
been achieved is a race car that is more dicey to drive and does not
have as much mechanical grip and wing placing the drivers at a greater
risk. I have trouble understanding this reasoning. Why not
let the cars have as much grip and wing as they can handle and reduce
engine output if speed is an issue. It might even produce more
passing and put the focus on driver skills and not sacrificing car
handling and mechanical grip. I say "give the cars their
head" and let they run as fast and as quick as they can with no
limits on technology . If it get out of hand we can always make
the cars radio controlled with the modern F-1 jockey with a joy
stick in their hand - Chris W - USA.
gee..i thought the idea of racing was
to go fast and to be the first one across the line. yes there is a
risk of danger ..thats what it is all about, thats what makes it
exciting, and thats what i pay too see.. and i'm not afraid to say it
...people like to see the cars crash once in a while. now i'm sure no
one likes to see ANYBODY get hurt, especially a marshal or spectator,
keep that risk on the track ..don't slow down the cars ..make the
tracks safer for the spectators, marshals, and every body else
involved...i dont want to see a bunch of turtles running around a
track ..i want to see real drivers and real speed... let em go faster
i say ..and get rid of all those electronics and driver aids ..just to
even things up a little bit - Bryan - Canada
Yes the cars should be slowed down, for
the simple reason that we as the viewers both at home and at the race
can't tell the difference anyway
What I mean is for all the people that are saying NO the cars should
NOT be slowed down tell me this, if a last year's specification car
went past and 1 from this year's specs would you be able to tell the
difference, NO , the only but that 10 or 20Km/h can make a huge
difference to how things turn out if a crash occurs
And another thing
I for 1 think its great that the FIA change the rules around all the
time its like a brand new set of challenges each year for the
engineers and designers to get around - -N-on-A-mU$ - Australia
I believe that it is inevitable that
such incidents occur during Formula 1 races.
I do believe that in order to build strong protecting walls around the
track will be a problem for the audience and I really don't think that
reducing car speed is the solution to the problem. So the solution
should be elsewhere.
I am a big fan of the Arrows and of Jos Verstappen - Roberto -
Australia
First, let me say how pathetic it is
for mine to be the first response from an American. Due to the bad
taste of my fellow countrymen, my enthusiasm for the pinnacle of
motorsport is hampered by very limited access to F1. Of course, I can
watch NASCAR night and day if I want (I don't).
I agree with the basic premise of most people's response here -
slowing F1 cars down is contrary to the ideals of the sport. The
underlying problem is, I feel, that technological advances have been
disproportionally invested in making the cars faster. The increases in
speed (and therefore danger) must be met with equal advances in
safety. This doesn't happen because the advances come from the teams,
whose only responsibility for safety is for the cars. Making racing as
safe as possible requires that the cars and tracks be developed to
work together in this regard. Plenty of good ideas have been voiced,
such as larger, alternative-material runoff areas, advanced displaceable
barriers, modular safety boxes for marshals, etc. It may not be as
easy to require tracks to make safety changes, but just as necessary.
I also think that the FIA's timing is completely reactionary, and
reveals the band-aid mentality that predominates. The performance of
the cars does have to be limited to the of G-force tolerance of the
human body and the brain's ability to process visual information, just
as in modern fighter planes. But other than that, let the cars fly.
I also strongly oppose the methods of speed reduction the FIA imposes.
They narrow the tires and put grooves on them, ban every form of
technological advance that raises the bar, and yet allow more gadgets,
like automatic gearboxes and traction control, that take away from
driver skill as well as increase speeds. If you want to restrict the
speed of the cars, then make it harder for the drivers by reducing
mechanical and computer assistance and require the engineers to
achieve conflicting goals. This last technique wouldn't restrict
technological advancement and would actually increase the relevancy to
mass market automobile design. A few measures of this sort might
include limiting fuel tank size or total petrol available for each
race, limiting the minimum and maximum drag CO to indirectly control
downforce and top speed, going back to manual gearboxes, manual
steering, requiring electronics to be divided into discrete systems
for specific functions, and limiting the number of tires per race or
the allowable tread wear.
I guess my suggestions can be summed up in three points: 1) require
safety improvements for cars and tracks that match increases in speed,
2) limit the amount of assistance the driver receives for each of his
tasks, and 3) redirect the efforts of engineers to promote more
balanced increases speed and efficiency - Nathan R - USA.
So how are we going to call racing?
Traffic?!!!!! Let's be serious, those guys are born to be fast. They
are paid big bucks to be fast. THE HUMAN BEING is design to be fast.
MR Mosley was totally blacked out when he proposed reduction of aerodynamics.
WE are HUMANS Mr Mosley and WE have brains too. We sleep fast, we live
fast, we dream fast and we drive fast too. So let the fastest drivers
on the planet to be our heroes and let them to be fast - Marian -
Romanian living in the US
Tragedies
and accidents are unfortunately part of sport, whatever type it maybe,
from horse racing to F1. A major part of F1 attraction is speed and
danger and if you reduce the sport to saloon car racing speeds,
smother it in cotton wool then the attraction and the sport will cease
to exist.
Leave the engineers, designers and drivers to create the best possible
racing cars they can without shackling them continually, BUT apply
more rigorous safety systems for the event organisers. Why do we need
in this technological age dozens of men and women surrounding the
track with flags and radio sets? Traffic lights work perfectly well in
every other traffic system, they use them to start the race for
goodness sake!
Marshals, photographers, etc etc should not be put into a position
where they can be injured, it is the driver who should be taking all
the risks not these good people - Paul C - Greece.
F1 racing is meant for high speed cars
not for ordinary junk or those cheap toys.... the sport is very risky
in nature, only the best drivers shall compete in the sport. Another
things is no one will watch F1 race anymore if the cars go very
slowly... we can call it off... rj - Malaysia
My comments regarding whether or not
the cars should be slowed down are simple. The cars today are made to
go fast and that is the nature of the sport. The speed is one of the
risks the driver takes when driving a Formula 1 car and I feel it is
pointless to try to slow them down - Clint W - Canada
I endorse Regga's remark 100%. Having
been a regular F1 attendee during the fabulous 60's and 70's I can
relate to manual transmissions and "Ferodo" brakes. Real
drivers driving real cars.
There is no denying that the technological advances have been
incredible in terms of auto engineering and much has been passed on to
the showroom car.
But, removing the driving skills and replacing them with electronic
gadgetry is akin to using drugs in athletics.
Let's get back to basics. Let's get back to real motor racing! - Roger
M - Australia
Having seen the televised race and
being aware of the fatality last season I think there is a need for
improvements in safety.
I don't necessarily think that the cars themselves should be the main
target. Yes they could be slowed down a little. But with
that I think you would have to offset that with more overtaking
opportunities on all race tracks. I also think that a closer
look need to be taken of the protective wear of the marshals. My
suggestion would be for all to have to some for of protective headgear
which had good ventilation built into it. Then the creation of
safety zones in which the marshals would have to remain until such
time as their services were required. This would come in the
form of a Perspex or similar type structure which can stand impact
from any angle from eg. a tyre of car part at ....miles an hour.
These could be portable and moved to the different circuits or
permanent structures. This same material could be used around
the perimeter of the circuit for raise the protection of the crowd
without inhibiting their view.
If the right material exists money should not be an issue in such a
rich sport. This would provide better safety for all and with
more overtaking areas better racing for the crowds and drivers -
Richard F - UK
I have been a fan of F1 for 20 odd yrs
and raced G P bikes in my earlier days. The FIA must be nuts to think
that reducing down force by 50% would slow the cars down. We all new
that the quick powerful engines allowed for more wing. With less wing
slower teams go quicker. No the FIA got it real wrong this time. Motor
fans want to see a race of skill, the best of the best duels between
the best teams and drivers. Leave the cars and tyres alone. Thank our
lucky stars that Michelin are there to again take R&D to new
level. Be rather boring otherwise. May even see more overtaking by the
brave - Tony - Australia.
By slowing the cars down I think that
it would defeat the purpose of automobile racing, which is speed!
The answer here is strongly no!!!! If this happens I think that the
FIA is just finding an easy way out instead spending in improving the
fences around the race track and giving the marshals additional safety
- Ron - Philippines
Yes, I think the cars should be slowed
down. Its already dangerous enough as a sport. I don't see any
pleasure in severe accidents and deaths. We really don't need to see
faster cars, just an entertaining and skilful race. I think that the
safety measures are good already but if there is more one can do, why
not ?. I also think that the people like the marshals should also wear
helmets and protective gear just in case something comes flying over
the fence. The F1 cars need to be fast its true, but they don't need
to fly. Well that's my opinion - Rosy - Australia
It's a total contradiction to make each
year new regulations to reduce the cars' speed, and on the other
side, every year each of the teams battles for new aerodynamics, and
new engines, for the only purpose, to increase the cars' speed - A.
T. - Australia.
Tough call! Especially in view of the
tragedy at Albert Park.
My over-riding feeling however is that motor-racing has always been a
dangerous sport and it is the speeds involved that provide the popular
attraction.
All recent attempts to slow the cars down have failed and in my humble
opinion have served to increase the degree of danger.
What we witnessed in Australia was a degree of engineering innovation
that is the essence F1. If what we want is perfectly safe racing, that
can be achieved but it would not be Formula 1 - Dunder - Hong Kong
NO reduction in top speed. Keeping speeds
high makes engineers on their toes and thus maintain progress to
technology in car safety - Genopal - Malaysia
F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. With
the procession going ever faster the opportunity exists to address two
issues with a single solution. Speed without grip is useless and grip
without aerodynamic efficiency is not possible under the current rules.
Remove the aerodynamic aids and the cars will slow down. The pursuit of
mechanical grip will ensure better balanced cars without compromising
overtaking abilities, and increase the spectacle without increasing
speeds.
Slow the cars down but not by limiting power, reduce the opportunities
to put that power to the road and let the designers get on with
developing a "racing" car instead of a high speed no-passing
zone - Geoff H - Australia
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