How to make the next round of reg changes genuinely the fastest cars ever

[Moose]

who's got a list of tracks still on the calendar from 04/05 that haven't seen modification? Australia
Canada
spa (has bus stop changed since then? it's changed so often...)
Hungary? when was the first corner moved back?
monza is changing soon. do we get one more year before they change it?
brazil
japan
monaco
I must be missing some, that seems way too short... Austria and China?

Bahrain (it changed in 2010, but it's changed back again)
Malaysia (though it's been resurfaced and had minor reprofiling, it's essentially the same track)

[Nickel]

I think Malaysia changed enough to not merit too much comparison.

[gdogg371]

I know some weight gain has been inevitable since the 500kg plus 5kg for the camera minimum weight days to bulk up the crash structures and the strength of the tub itself, but how much ballast do cars carry these days if any? If they are carrying ballast, surely getting rid of that is a bang for buck way of getting increased performance immediately for the cars?

[j2004p]

who's got a list of tracks still on the calendar from 04/05 that haven't seen modification? Australia
Canada
spa (has bus stop changed since then? it's changed so often...)
Hungary? when was the first corner moved back?
monza is changing soon. do we get one more year before they change it?
brazil
japan
monaco
I must be missing some, that seems way too short... Austria and China?

Bahrain (it changed in 2010, but it's changed back again)
Malaysia (though it's been resurfaced and had minor reprofiling, it's essentially the same track)

Monaco has changed quite a bit since 2004,

entry to first corner apex now a kerb not a wall
exit from the swimming pool now a kerb not a wall
entry into rascasse signigficantly shallower allowing faster approach and straighter braking

[hemichromis]

IMO These Regs will produce the fastest cars ever the irony is that it's the PUs that are primarily responsible.

[Juzh]

who's got a list of tracks still on the calendar from 04/05 that haven't seen modification? Australia
Canada
spa (has bus stop changed since then? it's changed so often...)
Hungary? when was the first corner moved back?
monza is changing soon. do we get one more year before they change it?
brazil
japan
monaco
I must be missing some, that seems way too short... Austria and China?

tracks in 2016 in relation to 2004:

Melbroune - no major change
Bahrain - Faster turn 4 entry (~0.5s) today, race at night
China - no major change
Spain - chicane in 3rd sector, first 2 sectors the same
monaco - changed one million times in every shape imaginable.
Canada - kerbs 10 times as high nowadays
Austria - reprofiled corners, better tarmac
Silverstone - changed track layout since 2010
hungary - higher kerbs in the chicane now
belgium - bus stop changes
Italy - same situation as canada
Malaysia - better tarmac, reprofiled corners
Japan - no major change
brazil - better tarmac but higher kerbs

All in all, only 3 tracks remain directly comparable, with a few others close, but not quite the same.

[Gaz.]

who's got a list of tracks still on the calendar from 04/05 that haven't seen modification? Australia
Canada
spa (has bus stop changed since then? it's changed so often...)
Hungary? when was the first corner moved back?
monza is changing soon. do we get one more year before they change it?
brazil
japan
monaco
I must be missing some, that seems way too short... Austria and China?

Australia
China
Bahrain
Canada
Malaysia
Monza
Hungary
Japan
Brazil

Monaco is a little faster, with S3 being a little more open. Spa was changed for 2007.

[Nickel]

Juzh's answer was far more precise and nuanced. Change is change. You may still be comparing apples to apples if only the kerbs were modified, but it's granny smiths vs galas and not a wholely representative comparison.

Also, what year did they extend the front strait in Hungary?

[Wass85]

Is it fair to say that these cars haven't got the most downforce of all time, they are much faster than the V8's down the straights but still slower than Massa's 08 time around Catalunya.

[gdogg371]

You can tell just how far off the current cars are from being the fastest ever by watching Montoya's pole lap at Monza from 2004:



It absolutely rockets out of the corners. I reckon the current crop of cars would need another 200bhp and a bigger diffuser to match that kind of speed. I wonder how far off being undrivably quick a 2004 car built to 1992 aero regs would have been?

[AMG.Tzan]

No need to change much! Maybe a bit more power to fully surpass 1000hp but only through development if they manage to keep these regs exactly as they are for the next 3-5 years and through Pirelli developing their tires, these cars are going to become a lot quicker in the coming years!! So i think it's about time Formula 1 keeps the same regs for some time!!

[gdogg371]

No need to change much! Maybe a bit more power to fully surpass 1000hp but only through development if they manage to keep these regs exactly as they are for the next 3-5 years and through Pirelli developing their tires, these cars are going to become a lot quicker in the coming years!! So i think it's about time Formula 1 keeps the same regs for some time!!

I reckon the current cars are a long way off being able to achieve the acceleration shown in the above video. To me outright speed and brutality is as much a part of what F1 should be as great racing, so it would nice if the current formula converged on this performance level, but I think the cars are just too heavy, even with 1000bhp.

[CriXus]

The current cars just should be put on a diet. They are 100kg overweight.

[gdogg371]

The current cars just should be put on a diet. They are 100kg overweight.

I asked this a few posts back, but no one got back to me. Are they that heavy now because of the power train, or are they still carrying ballast? Does seem crazy if so for F1 cars to be pointlessly carrying around 100kg of dead weight. I know a small amount is needed to not penalise tall drivers carrying more weight, but 100kg seems vastly excessive for ballasting.

[Wass85]

You can tell just how far off the current cars are from being the fastest ever by watching Montoya's pole lap at Monza from 2004:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqYPU3MNqHw

It absolutely rockets out of the corners. I reckon the current crop of cars would need another 200bhp and a bigger diffuser to match that kind of speed. I wonder how far off being undrivably quick a 2004 car built to 1992 aero regs would have been?

We will see this year if Montoya's record lap is beaten.