The need for reduction of first corner start crashes

[johnny comelately]

First corners after the start where accidents that take out competitors through no fault of their own can needlessly ruin a race result or more critically championship chances.
It is true that driver error is one of the main causes, but because it happens continually, that probably wont change.
So, what external things can be done?
Some solutions may be redesigning those first corners, Shanghai seems to be a reasonable concept.
Or more distance between rows, making qualifying more important;
Rolling starts, seems fantastic at Indy etc
Maybe the vote should be with those who pay for the repairs

[marvin78]

I think, we don't have to take everything away that makes the races and the championship more interesting. This belongs to racing. I don't see the point.

[Just_a_fan]

Another "let's change F1 for no real reason" thread.

Standing starts and the mayhem that can ensue are part of F1. We certainly don't need to go down the rolling start route preferred by Indy. Anyway, look at the start at St Petersburg this weekend. Will Power still managed to get in to the wall in the first couple of corners even with a rolling start.

No, we don't need to change the start procedure or the first corner.

[TAG]

Why do we have to do anything?

Singapore last year what would you do? If a driver is idiotic enough to keep making the same mistakes over and over, there's already a system in place to punish that and even ban them from the next race.

If it aint broke don't fix it, like the qualifying change fiasco. I think you need to state a much stronger case than affecting championship races, like Singapore.

[Maritimer]

If passing was easier the first corner would be less of an issue. Dependence on wings is the issue imo, slap a venturi floor on the cars and they could make passes when its opportune instead of asap at the start of the race.

[zac510]

My memory is possibly a bit selective or flaky but I think there are far fewer first corner/first lap/restart crashes than there were 20 years ago. However I've never seen this quoted as a statistic.

Anyway in terms of a race, there is no difference between a crash on the first lap and a crash on lap 23 if your concern is that retirements are affecting the championship, or someone's race by no fault of their own. Ergo, if you want to remove crashes on lap1 then you want to remove crashes on ALL laps. Let's face it, a race with no crashes or retirements would be pretty boring. A footballer's fumble, or a cricketer's dropped catch every now and again keeps the game exciting.

[marvin78]

Get rid of the drivers and let computers drive the cars. Or better: only simulate the races and nothing get's damaged.

[johnny comelately]

If passing was easier the first corner would be less of an issue. Dependence on wings is the issue imo, slap a venturi floor on the cars and they could make passes when its opportune instead of asap at the start of the race.

Yes, passing is a major problem and its a fair statement how it affects the first corner desperates.
Most problems are linked, but I believe the funnelling and subsequent crashes need addressing as well.
The implementation of solutions for better passing still seem a long way off though.

[zac510]

In statistical terms that's why we have more than one race in a season, so that one or two first corner incidents in a season is less likely to ruin a driver's chance at winning the championship than if there were, say, 3 races in a championship.

[Sieper]

Well, because overtaking has become much more difficult with the current high drag (wake) cars we will only see more attacks in the first corners, If it doesn’t happen there chances are it wont at all.

[dans79]

In statistical terms that's why we have more than one race in a season, so that one or two first corner incidents in a season is less likely to ruin a driver's chance at winning the championship than if there were, say, 3 races in a championship.

You only have 3 PUs though, so you can get hosed through no fault of your own, simply because someone ran into you and damaged your PU. I don't think the rules have anything about free PU components that are damaged in accidents do they?

[Sieper]

That could damage a gearbox but a PU? Very unlikely, Yes the cooling system will get easily damaged but then again, you will be stopped, or stop yourself If the temperatures run up.

[dans79]

That could damage a gearbox but a PU? Very unlikely, Yes the cooling system will get easily damaged but then again, you will be stopped, or stop yourself If the temperatures run up.

watch Hamilton go right up the back of Grosjean.

[Just_a_fan]

Here's the answer:


No danger of coming together, wings and PUs kept safe. The FIA absolutely must have guide tracks added to every circuit immediately!

[Just_a_fan]

Someone's got no sense of humour...