Will F1 lose its crown as the pinnacle of motorsport?

[Pierce89]

If the 2014 engines happen, they're more advanced than the LMP's. Regardless, F1 cars are much quicker.

[KATO]

I think if anyone would try to move in on F1 it would be Indy Car they migh simply alot more engines and teams build their own stuff but are they really going to...... The cost and time.... I mean all it would take from FIA is a couple rule changes from one season to the next in quick response and over the course of 3 and bye bye who ever that is.. Formula One has too much history and top Manufacturers in it.. Mercedez Ferrari Nd Renault would support them with out them with out provin you can beat Ferrari or Renault you can't prove yore better and if you don't do that yore not the best.. There for if Ferrari and RenAult Alone stick to Formula 1 you have nothing..

[strad]

I was thinking about this just the other day.
Certainly on the driver level, where once Formula One could claim that it's drivers were the elite, today the money brought to the team is more important than skill. We see it in the today where Bruno is axed and Pastor retained because he can bring a ton of money to the team.
Which also shows that there is so much money being split up that it really doesn't matter if you win the championship so long as you can finish high enough up and pull in enough to continue to play in this arena.

[Pandamasque]

If the 2014 engines happen, they're more advanced than the LMP's. Regardless, F1 cars are much quicker.

In what way? LMP cars had direct injection 10 years ago, also VTG, which F1 2014 regs do not allow. And by the way F1 2014-spec V6 engines are allowed in LMP1. I wonder if Cosworth can survive by finding customers on both sides.

I think if anyone would try to move in on F1 it would be Indy Car....

IndyCar are too busy shooting themselves in the feet.

[Nando]

there will never be a faster formula then F1. (in terms of road circuits)

[Sombrero]

F1 was never really the pinnacle of motorsport. It's just the most publicized racing form in the world outside USA since the 70's.

In the 80's for example, rallying with group B or IMSA GTP and WEC (group C) were really the pinnacle of motorsport. Since the 90's, there is no more pinnacle in motorsport... Just racing as business.

[Pandamasque]

there will never be a faster formula then F1. (in terms of road circuits)

If so, it has more to do with politics, than tech.

[Pierce89]

If the 2014 engines happen, they're more advanced than the LMP's. Regardless, F1 cars are much quicker.

In what way? LMP cars had direct injection 10 years ago, also VTG, which F1 2014 regs do not allow.

F1 is raising the bar on direct injection pressures and they'll be the first non-experimental use of electric turbo compounding. Right now, LMP just uses brake regeneration. The ACO allows other energy recovery, but no-one has bothered. So, I stand by my assertion that no current LMP motors are more advanced than the 2014 F1 package.

[strad]

there will never be a faster formula then F1. (in terms of road circuits)

There already was! Can-Am.
F1 is just a show anymore...has been for some time. Thanx Bernie.

[Nando]

I never said there has never been, i said there will never be one.

And yes it´s politics. If a new series comes along that is fundamentally quicker then today´s F1 cars you will see some drastic changes in the F1 regulations for the following year.

F1 will always be the quickest cars on road circuits, this is the essence of Formula One.

[NathanOlder]

Yeah, currently Bernie will not allow anything to be faster than F1. Simple as that.

[Nando]

It would kinda defeat the whole purpose of being called Formula One.

[Pandamasque]

I never said there has never been, i said there will never be one.

And yes it´s politics. If a new series comes along that is fundamentally quicker then today´s F1 cars you will see some drastic changes in the F1 regulations for the following year.

Wouldn't be necessary. BCE can simply disallow most Grand Prix circuits from hosting such a series. It wouldn't even require lobbying at FIA.

The ACO allows other energy recovery, but no-one has bothered. So, I stand by my assertion ...

So.. who in F1 is using supercapacitor or flywheel-based KERS?
The thing is that both currently and for 2014 so much of the car design is written into regulations that it would be fair to give the World Constructors trophy to FIA each year. FIA would make the world a favour if they directly limited power and torque output of F1 engines and leave other things for constructors to decide (there was an interesting thread on F1T about encouraging divergent designs in this way). As it is (and will be) constructors can't even alter the centre of gravity for f*** sake! What kind of pinnacle is that?

[autogyro]

Formula E is at present restricted but electric single seater racing will overtake F1 sometime in the future.

So far the fossil lobby and the motor heads are preventing FE from starting but they can only hold things up for so long, then it will be goodbye to the greedy energy wasting ic technology for good.

Electric traction is the future for motorsport.

[Richard]

Most motorsports fans probably shudder at the idea of electric racing. However, nothing is immune to the maxim of adapt or die.

Its not hard to imagine that the dominant form of propulsion in 2100 will not be ICE. So it's just a question of finding the tipping point between now and then.

The caveat is that there may be two forms of vehicle sport. One could be the old ICE series, and a new thing based on EV. F1 will be like carriage racing is today.