Does F1 Need More Excitement?

Several new ways of making F1 more exciting will appear in the lead up to the 2011. KERS comes back this year but more notably, an adjustable rear wing will be used to increase straight line speed in a hope to make cars closer when the fast approaching braking point rushes up.

How the rear wing works is, when a car gets closer than 1 second behind the car in front, a GPS system will unlock the rear wing for a pre determined part of the track. While racing over this part of the track, the driver can choose to activate his wing which slides to a 'flatter' profile, reducing downforce and increasing speed. This advantage should let the car close the gap with the car in front and make a passing manoeuvre at the next corner. The car in front will not have the ability to adjust their wing too defend their position. This system replaces last years F Duct, the famous downforce reducing system made popular by McLaren.

The new system has ruffled some from the leading teams who think F1 doesn't need anymore methods to increase overtaking. Why? Because they expect their cars to be out in front and prefer them driving away instead of defending. Red Bull Racing's Adrian Newey and Ferrari's Stefano Domenicali have both made statements suggesting the system will make racing "artificial" but only time will tell if one of them praise the system for helping them win the world championship.

The question remains, does F1 need to do more to make itself a spectacle for fan and is it doing enough? Here are a few crazy ideas that are almost crazy enough for Formula 1.

Create new tracks with sections that make the car drive upside down. The downforce created by an F1 car is more than enough to overcome its weight. Why not take full advantage of this feature?



Random flooding. Races are always more interesting when teams are unsure about the weather. Create a system where the track floods at random intervals, sending cars in for wet tires. Just as they are about to get on with it, stop the flood and send them back for dry tires.

Tacks that randomly pop out of the ground. Wouldn't it be more interesting if punctures came out of no where?

Mario Kart weapons. How cool would it have been if Mark Webber could have red shelled Alonso in the last race before throwing Vettel a spiky shell and drove on to be world champion?

Old Age Bias

Returning to a sport in your 40s that you once dominated but is the playground for fit, young, ultra competitive and highly tuned young men is a great idea, says 3 old guys who wish they could do it too.

Speaking at the Autosport International Show over the weekend, retired steering wheel attendants Martin Brundle, John Surtees and Jody Scheckter have held up the banner for 7 time world champion Michael Schumacher suggesting that Schumacher's return to F1 should not be judged by results but by his personal success of finishing the season with his head still held off his shoulders.

Schumacher's 2010 return to F1 was very underwhelming as he was categorically outpaced by his team mate Nico Rosberg, son of 1982 World Champion, Keke Rosberg. Nico, being 17 years junior of Schumacher, may not have the experience of the 7 time world champion but brought something to his driving Schumacher couldn't, youth.

So, is it fair to cut the old champion some slack in a competition geared towards success and winning while being powered by the biggest motivator in the world, money? Apparently so, but only if you ask an ageing F1 driver who never managed to climb to the top step of the podium, let alone win a championship. Yeah Brundle, we are looking at you!

Celebrity Endorsement

For quite some time Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo has been telling everyone who will listen his grand idea to let the big teams expand to 3 cars and to get rid of the slower back markers. The idea has failed to gain support from anyone so rather than shelve the idea out comes a celebrity endorsement.

Former F1 speed bump Jos Verstappen whose only claim to fame is the time he spent as Michael Schumachers number 2 driver before being dumped in the final races for Johnny Herbert as Benetton chased the constructors championship graced the media with his unwanted opinions earlier. Those opinions, surprisingly, sided with Luca di Montezemolo.

Jos suggested a system of implementing rules where the 3rd car would be only available for up and coming talent around the age of 23 or younger. With the 3rd car in place, F1 would deny the slower teams their grid positions and, through no fault of Luca, give the remaining teams more money to play with. Sound fair? It does for Luca!

Unfortunately for Luca, disgraced former FIA president Max Mosley disagrees. Max fully believes F1 is only as strong as it is through the growth and initiative of the smaller teams, striving to play with the big boys. Max happily cites Red Bull as the perfect example. Once middle runners unable to keep up with the pack, Red Bull has grown from its Jaguar beginnings to become both drivers and constructors champions in just a few short years!

The most important question of the whole weekend remains. Why would Jos support such a strange and selfish idea such as Luca's? Jos spent his career driving for small back marker teams. Had the 3 car rule been in place when he was a driver his boring 8 years in F1 would have been reduced to just 2 when he would have been put to pasture at the very young age of 23. 23 and retired from F1? Not good for Jos!

So why has Jos put himself in the papers this weekend? Was he truly just bored over the holidays and felt like reliving some of the old days with the media or was it much more sinister? Come on Luca, how much did a few words from Jos really cost you?

Happy New Year!!!

Welcome to 2011! A new year and a new decade with many exciting changes coming to F1 in the year ahead. Lets celebrate with a look back at the year that was in this exciting package from Eurosport.

Happy new year!