My wish to REALLY see car/driver ability

[Absolutelee]

So we all watch the races and form our opinions. This car is good, that car is bad, this driver is dragging a bad car to the front etc etc. I would love to see something like an F1 track day, where all the drivers and teams show up and like, pick their car out of a hat or something. Get Alonso in a Caterham, Perez in a Mclaren, Glock in a Red Bull, or whatever combination. It would be a great way to see how the back field drivers handle a race winning car, and how fast the best drivers could really make the back markers/midfield go.

I know this will never happen because of the money involved, and secrets you might learn from driving someone else's car. But it would be amaaaaaaaazomg to see I think. Also, it would give the back teams a sense of where there COULD be if they could afford a top line driver/didn't have to take a pay driver.

[FrukostScones]

When I watched Alonso 2001 in the Minardi I instantly knew that he was a future World Champion. What he did with this car was extraordinary.

[SiLo]

Charity Event! I would love to see that. That would be a real team sport then wouldn't it? You have to not only build the best car, but you have to get on with all the drivers, and be able to utilise them to best effect! The drivers championship would be earned much more that way too XD

[DaveKillens]

I think the closest we saw that was with the BMW M1 Procar Championship. It ran as a support race in many European Grand Prix, and F1 drivers could compete in it.

The only way to see drivers compete on an equal basis is in spec cars, such as the Procar, or the original IROC concept.

[bhall]

If it were up to me as an enthusiast, I too would introduce a system you might think impractical or even fairly mad, but don’t worry, I’ve been suggesting it without success for 20 years and it would probably not get through the FIA democratic procedures.

Let’s assume that there are 12 teams and 18 races. Each driver would drive each car once so that after the first 12 races all 24 drivers would have driven the cars of each team owner.

At this point, the leading driver would nominate the six different teams for whom he would drive in the last six races. The driver laying second in the championship would then make his choice, and so on. The order in which each driver drives for each team would be decided by lot.

[RB7ate9]

What would be nice, and along your concept lines, would be a non-points race, perhaps using GP2 cars. This would be similar to the old days where there would be races in Australia that would not be part of the WDC hunt (I believe this was done in the 60s). Spec cars that have some relation to F1 cars and, potentially, seeing those drivers compared to up and comers in the GP2 championship. I think an exhibition race in Silverstone would be fun.

[andartop]

Why a non-points race? It removes the drivers' incentive to really push. Since we can fantasize freely in this thread, I'd go for a double-points "bonus" round in the middle of the season and another one right at the end! That would really shake things up. And as I can't see drivers getting into other teams' cars - just imagine how happy the sponsors would be - I'd go for a reverse starting order scheme, where the guy leading the championship would start last (no quali) and so on. With artificial rain on/off. And shortcuts. In the night. And make it an endurance race, like a 1000km race.

[Nando]

Why a non-points race? It removes the drivers' incentive to really push.

Not a chance, a race is a race

Especially one where you now have equal machinery. No excuses if you isn´t competitive really.

[Absolutelee]

I like that Mosley quote! That would be an interesting year. I understand that a spec series best reflects which driver is best, but, I'm also interested in the second thing I mentioned, putting a known good driver into a back car so see its true pace. Ex. The Williams can clearly win a race, but Maldanado and Senna can't consistently show that...Throw Hamilton in there and see what it can do.

[Red Schneider]

You like what Mosley said? It's even more frightening than Nazi dungeon spanking.

[bhall]

With the many, many, many spec series around the world, I simply do not understand this persistent desire to bring spec-series characteristics to Formula One, a decidedly different beast.

If one wishes to see racing in which driver skill is the predominantly featured attraction, there's nothing at all wrong with such a wish, but please look for it elsewhere.

[RB7ate9]

With the many, many, many spec series around the world, I simply do not understand this persistent desire to bring spec-series characteristics to Formula One, a decidedly different beast.

If one wishes to see racing in which driver skill is the predominantly featured attraction, there's nothing at all wrong with such a wish, but please look for it elsewhere.

I concur. Formula 1 is, most importantly, a massive team effort. Hence why I would suggest a non-points, bragging-rights event for the benefit of the individual drivers, more than their larger team. Otherwise, in a perfect, rainbow-hugging with unicorn sprinkles world, drivers and teams would offer swaps to see which car/driver combination would be the sweetest. I would like to see Alonso/Hamilton/Vettel/Webber smack around the Caterham.

[Cam]

With the many, many, many spec series around the world, I simply do not understand this persistent desire to bring spec-series characteristics to Formula One, a decidedly different beast.

If one wishes to see racing in which driver skill is the predominantly featured attraction, there's nothing at all wrong with such a wish, but please look for it elsewhere.

amen

[Absolutelee]

You like what Mosley said? It's even more frightening than Nazi dungeon spanking.

I meant I like it in relation to the topic...it wouldn't be F1.

I concur. Formula 1 is, most importantly, a massive team effort. Hence why I would suggest a non-points, bragging-rights event for the benefit of the individual drivers, more than their larger team. Otherwise, in a perfect, rainbow-hugging with unicorn sprinkles world, drivers and teams would offer swaps to see which car/driver combination would be the sweetest. I would like to see Alonso/Hamilton/Vettel/Webber smack around the Caterham.

I think you, my friend, are on the same page as me haha.


I'm not sure which would excite me more, seeing the potential of a driver like Kobayashi in a car like a Mclaren or seeing th big guns in the back cars...

[Jersey Tom]

Want a pure driver evaluation with zero emphasis on car or setup? Have the F1 grid line up in Spec Miatas.