New Starting rules

[dans79]

is it just me, or are these new rules stupidly implemented?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119925

as I read it, the clutch bite point can't be changed at all after the car leaves the garage. The driver can't even do it of his own accord if he wants to. This seems stupid, considering 30 minutes can go buy between the car leaving the garage, and the start of the race.

This seems like a changing conditions start (Malaysia 2012) pile up waiting to happen.

[bhall II]

At some point, you almost have to wonder if a majority of F1's leading figures embody an anomalous concentration of individuals who fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. It's the only explanation I have for the sport's seemingly endless stream of ill-considered ideas and half-baked notions.

[SectorOne]

As usual we all look like Einstein´s on a F1 forum where we absolutely "know" how to solve the cure of Formula 1.

[dans79]

As usual we all look like Einstein´s on a F1 forum where we absolutely "know" how to solve the cure of Formula 1.

I didn't say I had the answer to F1's problems, and to be frank I don't think it has problems, at-least not to the extent all the doom and gloom people do.

However, a fan shouldn't be able to look at a new rule, and find glaring holes in it after reading it once!

[Henk]

As I understand the bite point of the clutch is the amount of slip you want before you drop the second clutch. The second clutch is held in position by de driver. That means that the driver can adjust the bite point of the clutch by holding it in more or less. I think it's impossible not to change the exact position in which the driver is holding the clutch every time he touches it.

I'm confused on how this is going to change anything.

[bhall II]

I'm confused on how this is going to change anything.

There's not enough political will to make changes that matter. So, they make changes that don't matter in order to maintain the illusion of responsible governance (think: helmet livery homologation).

This particular change addresses the widely held belief that current cars are too easy to drive. While I agree with the sentiment, I don't understand why increasing the clerical load has been deemed the appropriate answer when both current and former drivers alike have stated repeatedly that speed is by far the biggest challenge.

Personally, I'd rather see the return of two-way telemetry if it meant drivers could focus exclusively on pushing their cars to the absolute limit all the time. I couldn't possibly care less about their ability to manage the cars' systems.

[dans79]

I'm confused on how this is going to change anything.

Think of it like this, at 0% the clutch is fully dis-engaged, and at 100% it's fully engaged. If the bite point is determined to be at 70%, when the driver drops the first paddle, the clutch goes directly to some pre-calculated position between 70% and 100%. The driver now has the full range of movement on the second paddle to modulate the clutch between 70% and 100%.
Basically, determining the bite point determines the size of your fine adjustment range.

Until now, everyone usually got it pretty close to perfect. because they set it based on data collected from the test start and parade lap. The new rule now requires it to be set up to 30 minutes before the start of the race.

What this new rule makes more likely, is the start we saw at Silverstone, where Massa & Bottas jumped Lewis & Nico at the start.

It also makes start like this more likely as well.

[astracrazy]

If it was about just pure driver skill then why don't they just remove/ban the bite point find settings and just let the drivers control it like a normal clutch in any other car? Instead of making half a rule which just sounds like its designed to create a bit of random

[thedutchguy]

As far as I understand, this is an interim solution for the remainder of this season and the whole concept of two clutch paddles will be banned from next year, which I think is a good thing. The current procedure of exactly nailed-in clutch bite points and two clutch paddles makes for almost perfect starts by all drivers (OK, Silverstone being the exception to the rule).

These new power unit are supposed to have mountains of torque, yet we see almost no smoke of tire marks at the start. That right there is a clear indication that getting a (near) perfect start is too easy now. Let's put the whole start/clutch procedure back to the gut feeling of the drivers.

[SectorOne]

Paddles, not pedals

Having just one paddle could be very interesting to see.

[thedutchguy]

thanks, fixed

[ChrisF1]

The current procedure of exactly nailed-in clutch bite points and two clutch paddles makes for almost perfect starts by all drivers (OK, Silverstone being the exception to the rule).

Issue with Silverstone is that the Mercedes drivers actually DID do perfect starts... with the equipment given. Hamilton or Rosberg explained that Mercedes got the settings wrong and they take the practice start + expected grip from rubber laid down, and that the grip was less than predicted.

I would say they got perfect starts considering both had the wrong settings, and both got away equally.

[Andres125sx]

Personally, I'd rather see the return of two-way telemetry if it meant drivers could focus exclusively on pushing their cars to the absolute limit all the time. I couldn't possibly care less about their ability to manage the cars' systems.

http://i.imgur.com/K4fPXGC.jpg

This!!!

[adrianjordan]

Bring back clutch pedals and gear sticks