[Tifoso_Boy]

Next season, Bernie has come up with some 'ideas' on how to make F1 a closer fight (see link below). I don't agree with him......

http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html

Bernie promises better racing next year
By weighing Michael Schumacher down?

Formula One supremo, Bernie Ecclestone has assured fans that the 2003 championship season won't be a repeat of the dominating performances witnessed by Michael Schumacher this year. The 71-year- old has admitted that they are re-thinking the rules with possible plans to introduce a few techniques to help make the racing closer.

“After what has happened with Ferrari this year, we have to put a cap on it,” Ecclestone told The Times. “We have to do something to keep the sponsors and the viewers happy. If Michael runs away with things in the first two or three races next year, we have to be prepared to do something to protect the sport.”

Among suggestions he discussed was the possibility of weighing down the German star if he began to get too far in front too early in the season. For every point the leader is in front of the field, he will have an added kilo of weight added to his contender to help make it that little slower.

"If Schumacher is 20 points ahead of Rubens Barrichello, then he has to drive with a car that's 20 kilos heavier," he said in the Bild.

Other possibilities include altering the points system so that one driver doesn't get too big of an advantage, and changing the way qualifying is run. The new idea would see four half hour sessions over Friday and Saturday, giving all drivers four chances of securing pole position.

"I promise, there won't be another season like this. Next year it's going to be a good show again."

 

[Dj Dirk]

That's just bulls*** and it's the same as cheating.
Then lett the other teams work harder like Ferrari did, and let them stop waisting money on 2 seater F1's and those motorhomes.

And besides more then a decade ago, nobody was complaining when Ferrari couldn't follow, and the rest was winning.
Think back of the year that McLaren won ALL races except one

 

[Tifoso_Boy]

Bernie's ideas defeat the purpose of F1. I thought that the best team should win. Ferrari has worked very hard to get where they're at. Sooner or later another team will rise to the occasion.

 

[Tifoso_Boy]

Here is some more on that latest purposal from Max and Bernie......

Ferrari declined comment on Monday.

"There is no formalized proposal, so we have no comment on this," Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni said. "A procedure exists using F1's technical working group, and if the teams and the sponsors form a proposal, we'll comment then, but right now there is no formalized proposal."

Colajanni said Schumacher and Barrichello were on vacation, and the drivers were expected in Tokyo on Wednesday for this week's Japanese Grand Prix.

Ecclestone and Mosley submitted their recommendations to F1 teams Monday. The plan is to be debated by the Formula One Commission on Oct. 28.

The most radical proposal calls for one kilogram (2.2 pounds) added to a car for every point lead held in the drivers' race.

Other proposals include reducing testing, limiting aerodynamic changes during the season, limiting engines to one per race, and extending qualifying to Friday and Saturday.

"We are at a crossroads. There is no doubt about that," Mosley told The Times. "We have to improve the show and reduce the costs if teams, and eventually the sport, are going to survive as we know it now."

Jordan F1 owner Eddie Jordan supported the change.

"Something has to be done," Jordan said. "There are a number of different rules but the weight penalty is a very significant penalty, it is very easy to put in and manage.

"We need a healthy championship. I think it is an excellent way and a guaranteed way of leveling out the field."
Copyright 2002 Associated Press

 

[Tifoso_Boy]

Williams and Mclaren chime in on this issue......

McLaren and Williams say no to Bernie's plan
''We would not sign up to a weight handicap in Formula One.” [08/10/02 - 04:01]
McLaren F1

With the proposed changes to the Formula One championship announced to the teams yesterday it was, without a doubt, expected to evoke some fierce reactions from team bosses up and down pitlane. Now, twenty-four hours after discussing the radical new proposal, Bernie Ecclestone's plans to effectively hobble the best driver by adding extra weight to the car has already been blasted by second and third in this year's championship, Williams and McLaren.

Both teams have rejected the weight handicap, Sir Frank Williams believing that they would be taking a risk that the changes may turn the sport into something that is not Formula One in the process. The team boss doesn't believe that interfering with the cars will make racing better, stating that instead they need more tracks with the potential for overtaking.

Meanwhile, McLaren's managing director, Martin Whitmarsh believes the onus is on other teams to make up the deficit to Ferrari as soon as possible and there is no way they will agree to the new proposal.

"We would not sign up to a weight handicap in Formula One," he said in the Guardian. "I understand the concerns about the lack of close racing at the present time, but this is largely due to Ferrari doing an excellent job. It is up to other teams to take steps to rectify performance deficiency, and we will. Nobody wants to beat Ferrari simply because their cars are carrying additional weight."

Robyn Schmidt, Chief English Editor
CAPSIS International

 

[Dj Dirk]

The reaction of McLaren is really good and realistic.
Not only would they get responses like: yeah sure, now they can win.
But what if they get better so that they have to start carrying weight.

Now let's say that MS gets some extra weight, and RB or DC wins takes over the lead with 1 point, what then??
they they get the extra weight then and MS not anymore or do both drivers get the extra weight??

 

[250lm]

The whole weight issues is quit common in tin-top racing. I dislike it a lot since, I am also of opinion that if you loose try to get better, not to make the winner worse.

I am not totally sure how the weight is distributed, but when you finish low in he results some weight is taken out again. I think most of the time, the maximum weight put to a car can be 50 kg.


Niels

 

[Tifoso_Boy]

The big three teams are against it, teams like Jordan and Jaguar are in favor..... :roll:

 

[Dj Dirk]

Jordan and jaguar forget that when they catch up they also get extra weight.