3 cars per team

[Belatti]

There are rumors about FIA inviting F1 teams to run with 3 cars, in case Honda team won´t be sold. Only 2 would add points to run for WCC.

What do you think about 3 cars?

[Sterl the Pearl]

I would love to see it! However, I thought the FIA stated last year when there was the possibility of a 12th team joining F1, that was the limit. For safety reasons they did not want anymore then 24 cars on the grid. With 9 teams remaining, that would be too many cars. It would be something to strongly consider if another team drops out. The mechanics might not like a third car so much, but it would be kinda similar to the days of have a test car there (which I think should be brought back instead of making the mechanics rebuild an entire car if it is crashed). The engineers would also probably love it to collect more data.

[WhiteBlue]

It would be a desperate last attempt measure that should be avoided in the name of fairness. It would be far better to give some help to entrepreneurs who have proven capabilities to run a team.

Dave Richards and Gerhard Berger have shown that they could do it. If the FiA, FOTA and FOM puts a starter package deal in front of those guys they will be lured into the sport very quickly.

There should be special conditions of starter money from FOM, FOTA support to membership of new teams, and special fast track license to run the Super Aguri 2008 chassis and the Honda 2009 chassis with the least possible adaptation costs.

That could bring back 22 cars on the grid that would have a chance to stay.

[nae]

3 cars per team
3 viewers per race

[xpensive]

Hmm...maybe it will have to come to something like that, just to make up the numbers if that's what the contract says, remember Indianapolis a couple of years back.
I can imagine that a designated test-driver would drive a third, no-point scoring car, but what if said car actually somehow finishes first, then what?
And which teams to enter a third car, the two best or the two worst, wanna see three Ferraris or three Force Indias?

[donskar]

Hmm...maybe it will have to come to something like that, just to make up the numbers if that's what the contract says, remember Indianapolis a couple of years back.
I can imagine that a designated test-driver would drive a third, no-point scoring car, but what if said car actually somehow finishes first, then what?
And which teams to enter a third car, the two best or the two worst, wanna see three Ferraris or three Force Indias?

I suppose they could rotate the "honor" among any teams interested.
PRO:
More test miles. (Run car #3 with some trial bits to see if they work)
More exposure for sponsors
An aid to team tactics - car #3 might be unusually "wide." (Imagine if Luca Badoer found himself between Kimi and Hamilton.)

CON:
Lots more expense (for example, the transporters are set up to support two race cars. More spares. More mechanics, etc, etc.
With no tangible pay-back - no points

[xpensive]

How about allowing the two top qualifying teams enter a third car each from the back of the grid? That should spice up the action a bit, no?

Perhaps making way for temporay local drivers and sponsorship for those cars as well?

[donskar]

How about allowing the two top qualifying teams enter a third car each from the back of the grid? That should spice up the action a bit, no?

Perhaps making way for temporay local drivers and sponsorship for those cars as well?

That "local hero" idea is a good one. This whole topic may come to nothing, but IF we must have three entrants it should be set up to result in a positive for the teams and their sponsors.

My understanding is that Bernie MUST provide at least 20 cars? Anyone know definitively if that is true? If so, then the teams have a club to use against him. I don't suppose he can FORCE a team or temas to enter a third car???

[Chaparral]

Donskar dont they run a 'star car' system in NASCAR where a local driver gets a ride at each of the rounds over the year?? I know one team here in V8 Supercars is looking at running something like that for its second car entry. Im not sure if it would be feasible in F1 or very safe but a good idea to have a 'local' driver from the various countries pick up a drive at their home country GP (they have something similar in MotoGP from memory) - its a bit like the 1960's Tasman Series down here in Australia where the locals in their 2.5 Cooper Climax' or Lotus 39 or Brabham BT24 could and did mix it with the likes of Clark, Hill, Rodriguez, Rindt etc.

[Belatti]

Noone asked or commented why this rumour of the 3rd car, till donskar

I think Bernie must provide at least 20 cars, to comply with the contract with television stations. Thats the problem if there will be only 18 cars.

http://f1.automoto365.com/news/controll ... s_id=34108

The rumor also says that only the "big teams" may run three cars, as the pros and cons, like donskar said, are exposure, testing miles and of course, cost.

[flynfrog]

What about 4 car teams and get rid of testing.

The top two could place and the second two could take positions (preventing others from scoring) but couldn't keep points. We used to do this in track enter 4 runners in a race to take 1-4 preventing other teams from getting points for 3-4

[flynfrog]

this would also allow teams to give new drivers a chance at a race seat without having to take a championship contender out of the race.

[andartop]

I think it's a horrible prospect.
a)Financially, it's a suicide. Especially at these times.
b)If they were to do it, it would only be fair for ALL teams to have a third car.
c)If a "local hero" was driving, he would either have to have some experience, thus not be new to F1, or do lots and lots of testing beforehand in order to avoid being a danger for the others or a moving chicane.
d)If some people get bored when a dominant team gets many 1-2s, how about 1-2-3s???
e)If some people get offended with "Team Orders", wait and see what might happen in a situation where the No 1 Driver has his No 2 AND a "local hero" in front of him!!!
f)If some TV presenters can't help but keep confusing 2 drivers driving the same car, well, imagine if there's a 3rd one!!! "Schumacher is leading by 30 seconds 3 laps before the end of the race, and... he's off! (heart attack) Oh, no, I beg your pardon ladies and gentlemen, that was his team mate Irvine! (laughter) Oh, no! Wrong again.. It was local hero Valentino Rossi.. (sigh)

[xpensive]

Gentlemen, this is precisely why our "local hero" driver should:
- Enter with a car from one of the two top-qualifying teams.
- Have passed the three practice sessions, without making a complete ass of himself.
- Start from the pits.
- Only carry local, easy to identify, sponsorship, easy thing to find if you will drive a Ferrari.

[pgj]

The problem is that now in-season testing is finished, if one team runs a third car, most teams will want to run one.

It probably would not cost that much more to race a third car. Ian Phillips said that a ban on the third car in '08 cost FIF1 more money. Previously they carried spares on the T car. Once the ban came into operation, they had to design and build containers for spares that actually took up more storage space than the T car did. So, although there would undoubtedly be a cost increase, it might not be as great as one would first think.