In season Testing

[smusi]

I know it's because F1 needs to cut costs, but why isn't group testing allowed more often? Isn't it better for fans, safer for new drivers, and better practice for current drivers to have some testing? Isn't it more expensive to develop highly sofisticated simulation tools? Isn't F1 the onlt sport where you're not allowed to train between matches?

[ISLAMATRON]

Blame FOTA, the agreed on the testing ban late last year.

[smusi]

Any opinions?

[ISLAMATRON]

My opinion is that FOTA sucks ass and that Luca is a babbling idiot, and the rest of the team principles are even bigger idiots for doing his bidding.

[Jersey Tom]

I know it's because F1 needs to cut costs, but why isn't group testing allowed more often? Isn't it better for fans, safer for new drivers, and better practice for current drivers to have some testing? Isn't it more expensive to develop highly sofisticated simulation tools? Isn't F1 the onlt sport where you're not allowed to train between matches?

They develop the simulation tools anyway. Track testing is validation and verification.

NASCAR has also cut in-season testing at tracks on the schedule.

It isn't cheap, man. Track rental is very expensive. Tires are easily $2000 per set of 4. Fuel isn't cheap. Plus the travel, insurance.. I'm sure many of the components are tossed after a test session due to fatigue and cracking. A corner assembly is probably easily $30,000.

Simulation by comparison is dirt cheap, and you need it anyway.

[hecti]

they should bring back friday testing and let all the teams have the chance to run a third driver on friday!!

[ISLAMATRON]

you mean thursday testing?

[Jersey Tom]

Either way, IMO there's a big difference between practice sessions, and test sessions.

Test sessions you can test a wide variety of things under little pressure, validate models, get a feel for different tire options, etc.

In practice.. it's race weekend.. you've brought your baseline setup and you bust your ass to zero in on identifying track changes.. ambient changes, and generally what your quali, short run, and long run race setups will be.

[TheMinister]

Just watching the practice sessions at Suzuka, and it seems a little absurd that whilst we can't afford testing, we can afford a practice session that nobody drives because they don't have enough sets of tyres....

Expand friday practice; let the teams run a 3rd non race car, with a rookie or test pilot. Unrestricted running and tyres, engines etc for this car so they can toy with it as much as they like. Give the fans something extra to watch, gives rookies much needed practice, gives teams a test session at little extra cost.

(Do they still have third cars? Might be a bit pricey if not, but I guess they need to have enough bits to rebuild a damaged car so probably not that much extra)

[Confused_Andy]

They cannot take a full/complete third car to a race but enough components to build one if needed...

Crazy days!

[i70q7m7ghw]

They cannot take a full/complete third car to a race but enough components to build one if needed...

Crazy days!

Absolutely. I was always against banning the third car, it didn't change a thing as they still have to bring it as a spare, they just don't put it together. I think allowing more flexability for testing on a Friday would give the FIA they control they want over testing. All the teams would be testing at the same time with the same amount of testing for everyone, nice a fair.

[Richard]

I like the uncertainty that the test ban has brought.

It does also save a lot of cash.

Running a third car in practice sounds appealing, but would cost a lot because it would need more mechanics to take on the additional workload. Teams would also use up more spare parts, putting cost up again.

Perhaps they could have an extra FP session limited to test drivers. This would run with ECU data for safety only, such as temperatures and fluid pressures. Not a third car, but the test driver in one of the race cars.

[bjpower]

They cannot take a full/complete third car to a race but enough components to build one if needed...

Crazy days!

but wouldn't it be cheaper to transport the spares as a car.
1 box for the car or
1 for the chasse
1 for the engine
1 for sus parts
1 engine cover
1 for rads
etc etc