this post was submitted on 10 Jun 2023
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Formula 1
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All for lighter cars, but not sure how we get there. Do we bring back refuelling? Get rid of the electrical drive systems? Have fewer safety features?
There are very good arguments against all these areas.
as far as refueling goes, it's true that Formula 1 has a bit of a sordid history with it, but the fact of the matter is that it's a solved problem for other series. IndyCar has a developed and mature system for it, for example. I don't think that adding it back would be inherently dangerous if appropriately regulated -- and in light of Grosjean's crash, there's a counterargument to be made that having less fuel in the cars at any given time could offset the added risk of fueling in the pits.
Another thing that could help would be to focus on reducing the size of the cars. Over the last 10-15 years F1 cars have become enormous -- partially to account for crash structures and fuel cells, yes, but also for performance reasons. Wider track and longer wheelbase aid with grip and stability, but added size means added structure, and besides the cars are now too big to comfortably run at classic tracks like Monaco. Shrinking them down again would reduce individual performance, but improve the racing overall.
Definitely think size of cars should be targeted here. Refuelling can be safe but just because it’s technically possible doesn’t mean it should be done.
I think it would mean less on track overtakes and, whilst F1 is supposed to be endurance to some degree, the length of the races doesn’t mean we need to refuel unlike a more traditional endurance race. Plus you would lose the need for a driver to be able to manage with a fuller fuel load - they could just push for more of the race unless the pushing + lighter car causes more degradation than current “heavier” cars
I don't quite agree. Fueling would add an additional dimension to pit strategy in combination with tire selection, which would play out on track as greater variation in on-track speed -- ie., if you're on a stint with a harder tire, do you run enough fuel to get to your next tire stop, or go light for extra speed on track and plan for a splash-n-dash mid-stint? The time penalty per kilo of weight in F1 is such that it might be worth the extra time in the pits.