F1 2020 Thread

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

The idea is to make the sand trap so soft, and the sand so deep, that there is no getting back to the track if you land in it. This should work for motorcycles and everyone else who uses the track as well, shouldn't it? It seems to me that not just F1 should be required to obey track limits, even the weekend duffers like me doing track days.

Is sand good for bikes? Seems like I'd rather slide to a stop than tumble, no? (Of course, I'd rather stop before I hit a concrete wall. Didn't Jimmy Adamo go straight into a K-rail?)

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Is sand good for bikes?

LOL only if the sand is in bags

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Well, at some circuits (Paul Ricard?) they have replaced the grass and sand traps with concrete of varying levels of friction, which theoretically slow the cars down, but don't let them get bogged down like in kitty litter. I guess that's one option, but I think the place looks terrible, like a giant car park with red, white, and blue stripes all over the place.

Inside joke:
a bunch of years ago, there was a heated discussion on Pelican where someone suggested that cars speed up when they slide from pavement to grass.
It turned into an energetic physics discussion.

[legion]

I don't like Paul Ricard. Bring back Magny Cours!

Runoff vs. Sand vs. Gravel vs. Grass

Runoff
Pro: Brakes work well on it. Least likely to cause a race to be held up by a crash.
Con: Most likely to allow for track limits abuses.

Sand
Pro: Least likely (along with gravel) for a driver to willingly put a wheel in. Also can scrub speed of an out-of-control car remarkably fast.
Con: Most likely (along with gravel) to cause a long race delay as a car is retrieved. Also can cause further accidents if sprayed on the track.

Gravel
Pretty much the same as sand.

Grass:
Pro: Cheap for the track?
Con: If slick, very likely to teleport you directly to the tire wall.

[arcsine]

I found these in-car vids very interesting. Ham-Per-Vet all have obvious throttle control and were not spinning tires, hitting redlines and kept the car pointed forwards. Bot-Gio-ManyOthers did not. Seems like that was important in this race.

[arcsine]

I agree with the enforcement and/or penalty of track limits. How about a gravel border around the track of five feet with paved runoff area beyond? The driver will not want to push and drop two wheels into the gravel but if they did blast through it, they have an area they will not get beached and can continue. Guess the issue is that you would end up with a lot of gravel being brought back onto the track from those excursions.

[legion]

Originally Posted by arcsine

I agree with the enforcement and/or penalty of track limits. How about a gravel border around the track of five feet with paved runoff area beyond? The driver will not want to push and drop two wheels into the gravel but if they did blast through it, they have an area they will not get beached and can continue. Guess the issue is that you would end up with a lot of gravel being brought back onto the track from those excursions.

That's an interesting idea. I like it.

I still think full gravel traps would be good on the outside of hairpins to collect cars that break. But drivers wouldn't intentionally put a wheel there anyway.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

1" long hollow detachable stinger spikes on a super slippery white painted track limit line would sort everyone out in one practice session

[Won]

Sausage kerbs work well, if the goal is purely to control track limits. Especially effective if they are high enough that the front wing is the first bit of the car to hit them. These ones at A1Ring in particular are my nemeses.

I guess the key is to put something which will definitely be a deterrent, but not be a car breaker or a race ender if it's a genuine mistake.

[arcsine]

Originally Posted by Won

I guess the key is to put something which will definitely be a deterrent, but not be a car breaker or a race ender if it's a genuine mistake.

THIS is the issue.

I like the Capt's painted metal plates with a built in misting system to keep them wet? Not so sure about the punji sticks.

[Noah930]

There's also the issue of getting punted or pushed off track by someone else's mistake. I'm not sure you want to punish a driver (by wall, gravel trap, damaging curb) who has been forced off track by another's banzai move.

[matthewb0051]

Check out the lack of track limits at COTA... IndyCar last year

https://youtu.be/a8XzXMLVS4U

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Noah930

There's also the issue of getting punted or pushed off track by someone else's mistake. I'm not sure you want to punish a driver (by wall, gravel trap, damaging curb) who has been forced off track by another's banzai move.

This. On many occasions on the first few laps, or on re-starts two drivers try to pass or just crash into each other. The cars behind have to take evasive actions to avoid crashing in them. Sand or gravel traps just punish the drivers in the back of the pack.

With all the technology F1 cars have it is already easy to tell when they go over the line. Simply make it a no tolerance track limit. If they go off to avoid another driver and a crash, no penalty since they are taking evasive actions. If they are gaining an advantage in speed from going over the line, then make it a stop and go penalty that the has to take on the next lap. They will all avoid the limit if the KNOW it is a severe penalty but receive no damage to the car or a mess of gravel on the track. It will not affect the other cars that stay inside the limits.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

This. On many occasions on the first few laps, or on re-starts two drivers try to pass or just crash into each other. The cars behind have to take evasive actions to avoid crashing in them. Sand or gravel traps just punish the drivers in the back of the pack.

With all the technology F1 cars have it is already easy to tell when they go over the line. Simply make it a no tolerance track limit. If they go off to avoid another driver and a crash, no penalty since they are taking evasive actions. If they are gaining an advantage in speed from going over the line, then make it a stop and go penalty that the has to take on the next lap. They will all avoid the limit if the KNOW it is a severe penalty but receive no damage to the car or a mess of gravel on the track. It will not affect the other cars that stay inside the limits.

This makes the most sense. Take advantage of the available technology. Best of both worlds - safe tracks that don't punish evasive maneuvers, cameras or other track limit sensing technology to punish cheaters.

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

Check out the lack of track limits at COTA... IndyCar last year

That's every race at COTA.

[yellowperil]

Mostly dog jokes, Spaniel Ricarardo, Kimi Raikaynine, due to a dog runnin' around loose. Barkus Ericson and more. Barkrain.

Oh and practice was OK, Hope they find that dog.

[yellowperil]

Hope he doesn't get hurt or cause an accident

And can find his way home.

[GH85Carrera]

They said the dog was found and now they have it safe and she is fine.

[astrochex]

Is that further evidence Bahrain is a dog of a track?

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally Posted by astrochex

Is that further evidence Bahrain is a dog of a track?

Maybe this an attempt to show dog racing (greyhounds on steroids) is more exciting than F1?

It's a joke.....please no hate mail.