Caution: men at work: despite protests from top teams, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA's Max Mosley are dragging F1 into the garage for some much-needed tinkering

Auto Racing Digest, June-July, 2003 by Dan Knutson

THE OLD PHRASE GOES: "IF IT isn't broke, don't fix it." Which is all line and good, but in the case of F1 there are differing opinions about whether the series is indeed broken.

The F1's sanctioning body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), believes that the motor sports series will break if it isn't fixed very soon. To combat this, the FIA has introduced a sweeping set of rule changes. When all is said and done, these changes--which will be fully enacted by 2006--will be perhaps the largest set of rule changes in the history of the sport.

F1 is fueled by technology, but the FIA--as well as many fans, drivers, and teams--believe that the series' focus on mechanics has gotten out of hand, and that the balance between driver and machine has tipped too far in the car's favor. The annual budgets of F1's top two-car teams--some with staffs of 600--run upwards of $300 million. With all of that money at their disposal, it's become a dream environment for the engineers and computer whizzes, but what about the fans? And how can the smaller teams compete?

"Much of the money spent in Formula One ... adds nothing to the public's enjoyment," the FIA said in a statement. "Yet it is the public who ultimately pay the bills. Without a worldwide audience, neither team sponsors nor car manufacturers would contribute to the costs of the Championship."

The FIA statement went on to claim that: "Vast sums are being spent on things that don't interest the public. Whether an engine runs to 12,000, 16,000, or 20,000 rpm means nothing to the television audience. And they neither know nor care who, makes the car's electronic control unit or its rear wishbone."

There have been other problems, too. Ferrari's recent dominance has made the race outcomes so predictable that fans are starting to stay away from the track.

The FIA asked the teams to create a new rule package that would cut costs and spice up the show, but a set of laws that satisfied all parties could not be agreed upon. As a stopgap, the FIA stepped in and mandated a host of rule changes for 2003 and beyond.

F1's previous major rule changes came at the start of the 1994 season. At that time, the FIA banned many electronic driver aids such as computerized active suspension, anti-lock brakes, and fully automatic gearboxes. It also outlawed traction control (which prevents rear wheel spin as the car exits a corner) and launch control (which is used to get the car away from a standstill with a minimum of rear wheel spin).

There were so many rumors and accusations that some teams were cheating that the FIA reneged and legalized traction and launch control and automatic gearboxes in 2001. The FIA is now confident that it has the technology to detect cheaters and will once again ban those driver aides in mid-2003.

Most drivers welcome the initial changes because will allow them to prove their skill and finesse rather than having a computer do the job. "Today's cars are far too easy to drive," says Renault driver Jarno Trulli. "When you have so much help from your car, it's easy for a driver to reach the top. A lot of young drivers step into a car and succeed right away. F1 has to maintain the highest level of technology in the sport, but things go too far. I think we've gone one step too far with the electronics. Let's go one step back. It's nicer for the driver to feel the car and to drive the car. That way it's more enjoyable for everybody--including the spectators."

The FIA enacted some other key changes early in the year. Among them:

* Pit to car telemetry is banned. (Car to pit telemetry will be eliminated starting in 2004 at which time a standard data logger was introduced.)

* Radio communication between team and driver will be allowed provided that, (1) the system is stand-alone and cannot transmit other data, and (2) the communications are open and accessible to the FIA and broadcasters. The possibility of a standard system accessible to the public at a Grand Prix is being explored.

* A third car will only be used if one is damaged beyond repair. If a race car fails just before the start, any spare car will start from the pit lane, as will a spare car used following a race stoppage in the first two laps.

And there is more. This season there is a single-car one-shot qualifying system. In the past, the grid was set during a one-hour qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. During that hour the drivers could complete a maximum of 12 laps at any time, and their fastest lap determined their starting position.

Drivers now run their qualifying one at a time. On the Friday of race weekend, they head out in the order of the championship standings, starting with the point leader. Each driver gets a warm up lap, a flying lap, and a cool down lap. There are no second chances. Then on Saturday they do it all again. This time the running order is determined by Friday's times, with the slowest driver from Friday heading out first on Saturday and so on until the last driver to go out was the fastest one on Saturday. Again, it's a one-lap, one-shot deal.