Idea: ban carbon fiber brake discs?

[manicf1]

Im by no means an expert like many on this forum, but I feel a great deal of the spectacle in F1 from the 80s was due to the longer braking distances, the cars sliding around corners and sparks. Sparks has recently been reintroduced, so check.

One of the issues in my view is that the brakes are so efficient that the braking zone is down to 30 or 40 meters and there just isnt enough room to outbrake someone. Differently from the 80s where you could clearly see on car braking later than the other, then sliding around the corner to hold on to the position.

I understand there might be a safety argument against banning super efficient brakes, but with lesser brakes the drivers would just need to take a different approach to braking and, by consequence, overtaking.

Regarding the sliding part of the equation, I understand this has to do both with aerodynamics and tyre construction. Apparently they are so optimized for going in a straight line that if you skid you lose a ton of time. How to revert that to reward aggressive drivers who trash the car around corners?

[Facts Only]

Its not really the brake material that has reduced the length of the braking zone, its the grip increase that has driven that reduction.

As for sliding, (apart from on loose surfaces) its not the quickest way to get round a corner. If its not the quickest way round a corner then they (the designers and drivers) will do everything they can to avoid it.

[McMrocks]

Increased top speed is the best way to increase the length of the braking zones. (IMHO. Cuz, Tyres with less grip would also lower the cornering speed)

[manicf1]

Good points. Then maybe the idea is not banning carbon fiber, but reducing the efficiency of the braking system without compromising safety or reliability. Is this a good idea and how could it be achieved?

[Shooty81]

Good points. Then maybe the idea is not banning carbon fiber, but reducing the efficiency of the braking system without compromising safety or reliability. Is this a good idea and how could it be achieved?

Oh, that's easy:
braking with the mechanical brakes is only allowed in case of emergency. In racing (and qualifying) it is only allowed to use the rear wheel braking effect of the ERS.

[PlatinumZealot]

Carbon is safer if you ask me. Less weight for the braking power and less fading.

[tuj]

steel brakes would introduce more unsprung weight but also longer stopping distances. Also nitpicking, but the brakes are not carbon fibre. They are carbon-on-carbon composite materials.

[Manoah2u]

a couple of years ago people downtalked and laughed upon HRT/Hispania out in shame and hate for their 'unprofessionalism' running steel brakes instead of carbon brakes, and now we're going to come up with the voluntary idea to ban carbon brakes so the cars essentialy get unsafer?

i'm sorry, but what the hell?!

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/ori ... /OpoQQ.jpg

[SectorOne]

Increase horsepower instead

[ChrisM40]

This notion that overtaking was better are more common in the old days needs to die. F1 has more overtaking now than 10 years ago, but the races are far more dull because the cars are so damn slow, or at least slow looking. What we need is more speed, not even less. F1 should be about the spectacle of cutting edge super fast cars.

[Juzh]

Increase horsepower instead

Around 2000 should suffice, yes?

[SectorOne]

Increase horsepower instead

Around 2000 should suffice, yes?

I was thinking infinite but ok then, 2000 will do i guess...

[Steven]

This notion that overtaking was better are more common in the old days needs to die. F1 has more overtaking now than 10 years ago, but the races are far more dull because the cars are so damn slow, or at least slow looking. What we need is more speed, not even less. F1 should be about the spectacle of cutting edge super fast cars.

IMHO, cars look slower than in the days of Villeneuve (both Gilles and Jacques), because they are more controlled now.

What we need is less downforce and grippier tyres. It could increase top speeds, increase braking distance, increase sliding through corners and out of corners. Wider cars might help with the perception of speed as well.

Removing carbon brakes is very unlikely to happen. It would fuel idiotic comments like those from a certain commentator on Eurosport, saying that everything is artificial in F1 (only because he knows nothing about it, but still...).

[dans79]

This notion that overtaking was better are more common in the old days needs to die. F1 has more overtaking now than 10 years ago, but the races are far more dull because the cars are so damn slow, or at least slow looking. What we need is more speed, not even less. F1 should be about the spectacle of cutting edge super fast cars.

The biggest difference between now and even a decade ago, isn't passing, or speed, or even sound, but reliability. Today everyone pretty much knows how hard they can push without damaging/destroying something.

2015 Spanish grand prix
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Spani ... rix#Race_2
2 mechanical DNFs

2005 Spanish grand prix
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Spani ... _Prix#Race
4 mechanical DNFs, 2 spin offs

[Andres125sx]

This notion that overtaking was better are more common in the old days needs to die. F1 has more overtaking now than 10 years ago

First of all, I wouldn´t consider 10 years ago as the old days

When talking about overtakings it´s the excitement of on track battles what matters. Today there are more overtakings, ok, but most of them are so artificial due to DRS or different tire strategy there´s no battle at all. DRS has ruined the most exciting part of racing, now drivers don´t need to risk fighting with a rival through the lap, just wait to the straight to use DRS and you´ll get a free risk overtake. It would be absurd otherwise. If you see any overtake at any other point of the track you know driver doing that has fresh tires and he´s passing a car with old tires so he´s so much faster he can pass him at the outside, so no real battle either

Yes more overtakings, but artificial, no battles, no excitement

Banning carbon brakes is something I´ve considered too, but realitically, it will never happen. Problem has a proper name, aerodynamics. There are many rules and many ideas to improve racing, but all of them are patches to cover up aero problem. Solve it, do something to allow cars get closer between each other at the corners, and racing will improve dramatically