F1 excitement vs safety

andicole0 · 23 Jun 2016 at 14:58

We all want excitement which probably means crashes? We also want driver safety, so why not get rid of the driver. Remote VR based drivers but real cars. The risk is purely money and possibly the odd martial or spectator, hmm :-(

The TV based iRacing events are OK but there's non of that eeek! as a car spins off.
Andi.

Glaucus · 23 Jun 2016 at 15:01

that's one extreme way of achieving something which should be relatively easy.

and why would you want to do that to f1, just set up a new series.

Lopéz · 23 Jun 2016 at 16:44

Because part of what makes F1 a sport is man and machine - bravery and fear coming together with all the other factors. There is no bravery or fear if you are pushing a remote control stick.

mmj_uk · 28 Jun 2016 at 15:45

There is no bravery or fear when you have run offs at every corner either, for bravery and fear to play a part there has to be an element of danger, when pushing too hard and making a mistake results in going off the track and then simply rejoining via the run off you've already taken away the human elements of bravery and fear.

They need to bring back gravel traps, or bring in a rule that 4 wheels off the track results in a 5-10sec penalty at the end of the race, as F1 currently stands there's very little punishment for making mistakes - in fact when drivers make mistakes at chicanes they often gain time because they just cut the second apex. If there's punishment for pushing too hard/making mistakes only then will bravery and fear come into play.

Entai · 1 Jul 2016 at 08:59

mmj_uk said:
They need to bring back gravel traps, or bring in a rule that ANY wheels off the track results in a 5-10sec penalty at the end of the race.

Corrected

Stay between the white lines at all times.

this_is_gav · 1 Jul 2016 at 09:30

Half of the challenge is how brave you are over the exit kerbs at tracks like the Red Bull Ring, and though that challenge is less now that it used to be when the cars weren't quite as planted, it's still nice to see drivers being tested.

The way things are going there's no penalty for bailing out of a corner and just skipping over a huge tarmac run-off. There needs to be something in place which punishes drivers and just lets them get away with what they can, such as the different approaches for the old La Source. Perhaps some grass immediately after the corner, so if they do go off they have to skip across some grass. That's why the Red Bull Ring is/was good - turn 1 for example they can monster the kerbs, but go to far and you'll lose time as you have to either abort to the grass or wrestle the car back onto the track. You don't need gravel for that.