Safety in Formula 1?

Question

Every year we have rule changes supposedly designed to slow the car down and improve racing. Do you have any ideas on improving safety without reducing the racing quality?

Answer 1

The problems, as I see it, with the last decade of rules changes, is they have been aimed at slowing cars down both in the name of safety, and at creating more equality among the teams. The first is a good goal, even if it often misses the mark, while the later has tended to only widen the gap as the good and high budgeted teams quickly navigate around the new rules while lesser teams get bogged down in them.

So, if I had a free hand at changing rules with the ultimate goal of improved safety and improved racing, with additional equality among teams being a plus if possible:

Purely safety - F1 actually does alot of things here really well. But some minor tweaking would still be good. I would echo the previous suggestion for paved run off areas on all tracks, and the introduction of safer barrier systems in all cases where barriers (such as those at Indy) are within a certain distance of the track (say 20' or something like that). Expansion of on car communications would be good as well to allow more information from race control and the stewards.

Ultimately, the move to a spec tire will do alot to control over all speed. But to improve the quality of racing, you have the difficult issue of needing to continue to improve tire traction and anything related to mechanical grip. The problem on the safety side has been that decreasing mechanical grip has been the most effective means to control speed as the teams seem to quickly overcome aero restrictions.

So, in theroy, allowing for larger, grippier tires would be good. And aero restrictions would have to become less restrictive in one area, so the cars would be less sensitive to the air flow, but would have to become much more restrictive in acheiving less total downforce. I am not sure what the means would be to measure this, but FIA are a crafty bunch... the goal would be to have less aero sensitive cars, with more low speed downforce to help with braking and overtaking in slower speed corners, but to be less effective in adding grip at higher speeds (though perhaps still adding drag to keep top speeds in check as well).

Answer 2

There were no spectacular improvement in safety this year, as far as I know, was there any?

your quote that 'safety reducing the racing quality' was quite immature, you are not still not in to it, are you? You have a lot to learn.

Well if you feel F1 race is getting any boring, it is the cost reducing scheme of the FIA which is stealing the thrill.

Answer 3

I belive that F1 is VERY SAFE as it is right now. And all of these rules which have been implemented to improve the safety can detract from the racing. Racing is not supposed to be as safe as walking your dog around the block, and I think that alot of the prestige associated with being a racing driver has to do with the nature and danger of their profession.

Answer 4

So what you're saying is, racing quality is a function of speed? Have you ever seen an F1 car? You know that big hole in the middle of it? That's where the driver sits. That's where racing quality comes from.

Answer 5

move all the walls around the corners back and use asphalt run off areas
or better yet put all the grand stands on the inside for the turns and take the walls away completely

Answer 6

if you think how fast those cars go, they are way too safe and in my opinion F1 is much safer then NASCAR

Answer 7

i odnt think there is any safety in formula one the suits and the helmets and i think that is it k

Answer 8

f1 is not that safe,,,,but that makes it even more interesting....

Answer 9

seat belts

Answer 10

virtual reality.