Alonso another driver to lose weight for car performance

[jwielage]

Take this one step further... why bother having a minimum weight for the whole car then? All the teams could make the cars lighter if the rules allowed it... but they don't... TO MAKE IT FAIR!!!!! Adding ballast around the driver to compensate for the different driver weights makes it MORE fair.....

In my opinion

I appreciate that you denote this as your opinion, a show of true class.

However, I would argue that the minimum weight of cars also has a lot to do with cost control and safety. If there were not restrictions on weight teams would go to even more extraordinary lengths to lighten their cars. The use of super exotic construction techniques and materials would send costs sky-rocketing.

However I will concede that my argument is somewhat circular because it can be argued that cost control is directly related to competition and fairness.

Of course this is all just my humble opinion.

[ISLAMATRON]

In what universe does a hole weigh an extra 35kg? If the entire nosecone weighed that much you think they'd be able to change them that easy?

I wasnt meaning the nosecone, what i was meaning is the crash structure that was needed for them to have such a design in the car, whitch made the car an extra 35Kg heavier at the front end.

However, the front and nosecone assembly for this design were only marginly heaviler, about 1Kg seemingly.

I meant it mainly as a joke but thanks for the clarification, it makes alot more sense to me now(as to what you were trying to say). But you Really think the incorperation of the nostril(nose hole=nostril... Tm) weakened the nosecone that much that it required them to augment the crash structure of the front bulkheads with 35kg's of carbon Fiber? Seems a bit much to me. I honestly think that the nosecone could be easily designed as strong with the nostril as without with minimal weight gain and thus not effecting the car's performance in the safety crashes.

[john Stiner]

I would imagine you could take it one step further - I'm sure a toe or two could be removed and you only really need one kidney....!

[megz]

Don't need Tonsils... make sure he keeps he big toes though, apparently they're helpful for balance when you stand. Ummm he could probably live with one lung but racing would make it kinda hard on that one lung, so we'll let him keep them both.

[machin]

Even more extreme... what part of the driver or how much of the driver constitutes "the driver".... could a brain be considered a driver? the car could be controlled by monitoring brain activity...this technology already exists....

Or slightly less extreme; could prosthetics be lighter than organics... therefore having carbon or titanium prostheic limbs could save a whole heap of weight!!!

[ISLAMATRON]

maniacs!

[Giblet]

Zanardi is well aware of the design and weight advantages of being a very quick driver, and so in another way is Danica Patrcik, as she weighs about 40lbs less then the next lightest drivers.

[natef1]

Funny thread.

Alonso is not asking for ballast or anything. He lost weight during winter season, by cycling up to four hours a day, you fit guys. I think he's thinking about being fit for the season, that's it. He's not thinking about the weight, but about optimimizing the car and I'm pretty sure. How do I know? (besides reading the news in this site, ehem: Alonso on a diet to allow for more ballast movement).

Sorry for being off topic here but when I read that quickly I thought it said

Alonso on a diet to allow for more bowel movement

[Carlos]

I lost 35 lbs last year. Suspect Alonso's doing it for the same reason. Wants to loose that baby face look. Lean out like Clint Eastwood. Be a chick magnet

It's working

[schick]

If you race karts under international rules, the kart and driver are weighed at the end of a race with very strict policing in differing weight catergories, its not only weight that plays a big part but also height, considering your head is the heaviest part of the body and the transfer of that weight at varying heights affects the handling, in other words if your tall and have a big head play rugby. There is a reason GP drivers are small, I think Berger was considered big(tall) for a F1 driver, and of course it finished Mansell he couldn't get his big arse in the car anymore.

[loisemichel23]

thanks