Push for minimum weight increase.

[Conceptual]

So Mark Webber and Dr. Thiessen both want to raise the minimum weight for the cars.

I think that is an OK idea, but only after KERS becomes mandatory, or else you are penalising the non-KERS teams by adding weight, but no power, since fairness is in both of their arguments.

In an interview with the official Formula One website, Webber responded to whether increasing the weight limit would be a good idea: "Of course it would. And it would not be unfair to do that. The smaller drivers don’t get a disadvantage but at the moment the bigger guys do, so it would only be fair."

BMW Sauber Motorsport Director Mario Theissen said in the Melbourne paddock: "We will bring it up. It is a concern. Having KERS in just one car indicates already that it is not just a KERS issue.

"KERS is ready to race, and I am sure our KERS is on the light side. It is a regulatory issue which penalises big drivers. For the future we would support an increase in minimum weight."

Is it fair to push the penalty from big drivers onto non-KERS teams?

What do you guys think?

[ISLAMATRON]

no weight increase!... just increase the allowed power of the KERS

[axle]

Instead of a weight increase, the jockeys should all carry ballast so they are as heavy as each other. Ballast in the back of the seat.

[CMSMJ1]

I don't want to see a mandatory weight increase at all. The cars are already built underweight..

Perhaps a 550kg car and driver weight limit would be better - they would all struggle with ballast then and so would have to design a car that was more fundametally balanced than the current cars which have a lot of leeway

[Conceptual]

I was thinking that the cars can be remote controlled, and the drivers can just sit in their "simulator" in the garage, and drive from there.

People are different sizes. What the hell do they think is gonna happen?

If this becomes a big issue, I can see a paradign shift towards female drivers, due to their smaller size being an advantage over the male drivers.

[Belatti]

This idea sucks. Also I dont want TURF riders to became F1 drivers.

A solution would be to reduce minimum weight to eliminate the ballast current car has. The heavier drivers will have no ballast and the lighter drivers will have only a few to play with. I dont expect a range wider than 20Kg.

I like axle and CMSMJ1 idea.

[nae]

its one of the few things i agree with max on

lower the weight limit therefore reducing the momentum in impacts

but i too like axle and CMSMJ1 ideas

[alelanza]

I agree that the minimum should be raised, it's the only way to account for the driver size penalty in a cheap way.
And i don't get why would someone lower it even further? you'll just penalize them even more.
Equalizing driver weight via ballast would also work i guess, i just wouldn't put it in the back of the seat for safety reasons.

[Jersey Tom]

I see no reason NOT to increase minimum weight. No negative impact.

The momentum on impact thing... that's not how it works.

[Conceptual]

I see no reason NOT to increase minimum weight. No negative impact.

The momentum on impact thing... that's not how it works.

No negative impact except that it is going to penalize non-KERS teams because they will be forced to carry more weight, but not the extra 80 HP to push it.

If KERS is compulsory, and not mandatory, I would find increasing the minimum weight as a way to screw the teams that choose to NOT employ it.

Is that any more fair than the fact that some drivers are heavier than others?

[Dukeage]

What about a rule similar to truck racing where the weight distribution is controlled? Require that the rear axle weight is above a minimum. Maybe have a minimum weight of sorts for the drivers, where drivers below a benchmark would get ballast added under their seat - that might be an idea to come in alongside a Formula SAE-style rule about fitting a larger than average human dummy in the cockpit.

IIRC KERS doesn't force teams above the minimum weight, just damages the weight distribution.

[Conceptual]

What about a rule similar to truck racing where the weight distribution is controlled? Require that the rear axle weight is above a minimum. Maybe have a minimum weight of sorts for the drivers, where drivers below a benchmark would get ballast added under their seat - that might be an idea to come in alongside a Formula SAE-style rule about fitting a larger than average human dummy in the cockpit.

IIRC KERS doesn't force teams above the minimum weight, just damages the weight distribution.

Well, with the extra 82hp gained, would it really be that big of a deal to run at say 615kg? Wouldn't the KERS boost equal out to a 605kg without KERS?

[Paul]

No, because you get only 6.(6) seconds of extra hp per lap, while extra 10kg are always there.

[kilcoo316]

The momentum on impact thing... that's not how it works.

Indeed.

Assuming the safety cell stays intact (and when is the last time one has failed?)

Momentum will affect the thing you hit more than you (assuming equal impact velocity).


Indeed, you could argue that greater momentum is better, as it will cause the tyre wall/armco to deflect more, lengthening the collision time.

[kilcoo316]

If KERS is compulsory, and not mandatory

Pardon my poor England... but are they not the same thing?