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1) double points in the last race to keep the thrill to the end. More and more gizmo. More and more American. Less and less Formula 1. Alonso, by the way, with this rule would have won the 2012 title, Massa the 2008 title, Kimi the 2003 title.
2) like in Moto GP, every driver can choose his number and keep it for the whole of his career, except number 1 that remains reserved to the ruling World Champion, if he wants it. Again, sounds to me completely ridiculous that FIA deliberates on such issues. My number, by the way, would be 27.
Comments
If this can make that last race more exciting, I am all for it. I wouldn't even object to also giving out double points for some tracks that are driver's favourites like Spa or Suzuka.
Ugly, slow and painful to listen to....a recipe for success.
I read Adrian Newey has some doubts about safety within the new regulations. He thinks that in a front to back collision the new cars will dive underneath instead of jump over the car in front. I hadn't thought about it but it sounds logical...
Have you heard them? Flippin' horrible but I suppose we'll get used to it. Well, we don't have a choice!
The FIA and FOCA ought to be thoroughly embarassed by that nonsense.
It's almost 1966 over again. We need Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac to produce a simple space frame chassis and a motor built from spare parts to whip the Championship off these jokers, becasuse apparently the current engineers have no idea.
My number is 86! That was the number i used to secure the 1982 RAAF Buttwerworth Malaysia Stock Car Championship in my dear departed Valiant AP6. As there was no other stock car racing in Malaysia in 1982, I claim to be national champion as well.
I bow down in front of you . . any pics? :)
I like the number idea. The double points is stupid.
I like less aero on the cars and agree a nose to tail with this new design could be disastrous.
My number would be 26 or 77.
re: numbers. Not fussed, really. I'd prefer it if the drivers just kept to one helmet design. Call me old-fashioned.
The 'adult toy' noses to the cars are so symbolic of 'be careful what you wish for'. But the engine notes are truly horrible. Mosley genuinely doesn't believe people care about the noise and so we have this.
The Stockies was held on a 400 mtere track on the base. I was Stock Car Member for the club for a while and had responsibility for maintining the track. I was in partnership with a friend in 86. It was an AP6 with a slant 6 225. Just a shell with a comprehensive roll cage, cum engine bay reinforcement to take frontal hits without ruining the engine. Diff welded up to drive both wheels evenly; alternator removed to improve power (replaced with a dirty big truck battery supplying ignition power. The battery was contained in an old ammo case bolted to the floor next to the driver). Fuel supplied by a 5 gallon tin located where the back seat used to be. Most cars also had the radiator stuck up in the rear window space, but our barring was so good, we kept it in front of the engine.
As it was stripped out, the AP6 had great power-to-weight, and the range of second gear was good enough once the car had got away from the start line. Putting the power down was not so flash, so we had a few sandbags sitting in the body over the top of the rear axle. We won because we had great acceleration, and once the car was flicked for the corner, you could drive it through using the throttle to steer. We had so much of an advantage I never though twice about taking someone on the outside.
The competition was hilarious. Volikswagens - not bad right up to the point where the wheels tucked under the car, then away they would roll. A Vauxhall Vector - I drove that thing and it was just horrible. A couple of Rovers (the old rolly polly shaped ones). These things were so heavy they regularly lost wheels due to elongation of the stud holes. Some HQ Holdens which were pretty good, and one which was a wagon that had perfect balance for this sort of racing. Some other AP6s like ours, and then there was 'El Diablo'. A monstrous 18 feet of bad taste Chev. Huge 6 litre v8, auto transmission and get this; dual rear wheels each side. I don't think it really helpe the traction, but made the thing impossible to nudge out of the way. Usually, if someone got too successful at blocking, all you had to do was stick your right front fender inside their left rear fender and give the wheel a quick flick to the right. They would then be unable to stop the thing spinning to the right, which on a left hand circuit, meant off the track. Not with El Diablo. I can remamber driving the whole way up the straight with full right lock trying to move that thing and it just stayed planted.
It would be nice if there were still picks around, but sadly, none in the public domain and my own still prints from that time were hidden by my mother when I remarried (to avoid offending my second wife - sigh. now that her faculties are not what they were, I'm not sure if I will ever see them again.
The most enduring memory from then was interesting. The part of the base where the track was located was abutting a local Kampong. There was just a chain link fence between us. The kids from the Kampong would stand up against the fence staring at the racing. I never worked out whether they were just confirming their view that all foreigners were idiots, or in fact whether some desire to one day go motor racing was stirred in one of those young breasts. Who is to know?
Oh, and why 86? There was another AP6 there and its number was 99. Seemed logical to take advantage of the Get Smart reference.
I owe you a beer for that one Lease :)