Fundamental problem with F1 and IndyCar (Update)
Dear AR1:
I enjoyed Mark Cipolloni's recent article, The Fundamental Problem with F1 and IndyCar Today.
Here are a few suggestions I have for IndyCar at least bullet-point style:
- Consider the use of production-based engines with US available stock blocks
- blocks would have base heads with certain parts of engine free for development and rev limits set quite high
- allow turbo for smaller engines and natural big ones but bhp to be 800plus. This will allow tuners to develop almost any manufacturer engines.
- Also, have no fuel flow limits but small tank sizes to let better fuel use cars compete with the more powerful guzzlers.
- Engine performance to be balanced four times each season.
- allow anyone to build cars but must be able to provide 12 cars to teams not including backups or replacements.
- Limit aero to encourage bodywork aerodynamics without all the ad don winglets.
- Front wing no wider than half width of front wheels and two plane only.
- Rear wing low and no wider than half tire width. Two plane only.
- No add-on aeros to the body so that the body itself is the aero so they will look different and good.
- Restrict airflow deterioration off the rear of the car to encourage close-up racing without tire degradation on following car.
Probably won't happen. I guess I can dream. Name withheld by request
04/24/15 A reader writes, Dear AR1.com, I finally read the article that had to be written on the front page of AutoRacing1.com this morning. I could not agree more with all the points raised in 'The Fundamental Problem with F1 and IndyCar today.' I am sure this article is going to cause the rulemakers in both sanctioning bodies to think long and hard about the direction they are taking the sport. Technology has ruined the thrill of both racing series. The car goes go by me today and it's like – big deal. I was sitting in the grandstands in St. Pete and when the cars went by on the main straight I could hardly hear them. No longer is it a thrill that used to make the hair on the back of my neck standup. Both series have let the engineers engineer the thrill right out of the cars. Dean Kaymen