riff_raff wrote:Paul Kirk,
F1 racing is, and always has been, a racing formula heavily dependent upon technology. That's what separates it from all other forms of auto racing. F1 doesn't need more restrictive technical regulations. What it needs are regulations that allow race teams with limited budgets, but also some very clever engineers, to be free to design a car and drivetrain that is competitive.
For example, with propulsion, there should be no limit on what type of engine or fuel may be used as long as it is readily available to all and safe. The only rule would be that the total energy content of the fuel allotment for a race must be equal for all cars.
Rules like this would stimulate lots of creativity among the various teams and would naturally promote efficiency.
riff_raff
ps. currently, methanol is not really a "renewable" fuel. Most methanol is produced from natural gas, since that is by far the most economical method.
Some good ideas, but it does not take the lessons of the manufacturer dominated sport into account. We would end up with a race between Ferrari and Mercedes who are able and prepared to invest huge amounts of money into competitive engine development if it coincides with their road car needs. In the past we have seen that 200 - 300 mil $ per manufacturer are available in good times. The budget could be even higher if the R&D goals are 100% identical with the road car divisions. Merc could be easily spending 1 bil $. Other teams could not nearly compete with those budgets and would be very quickly left behind.
To allow high freedom of design in power train with the competition on energy saving there must be more competing manufacturers and an obligation to supply the rest of the grid with engines at a fixed price near manufacturing cost. Unless you force the manufacturers to supply the grid with something that is close to the competitive level (one spec back perhaps) and absorb the cost of R&D on their own you will kill off the other teams.
Same situation for an engine supplier as Cosworth. They cannot get R&D budget from a road car division. Very soon they would not be competitive and go bust like in 2006. Those things have to be considered.