Spec race occassionally?

[raymondu999]

Hey all. Just interested here. Wouldn't it be nice to have a spec-car race for once? Have it F1 standard. In fact you could take an F1 car for it, preferrably an extremely neutral one which reacts very well to setup changes. Then have everyone race in the same car, in the same format as a normal race weekend. It would be great to just see how fast the drivers are in just absolute speed, wouldn't it?

[flynfrog]

no

They already have that its called Indy.

[raymondu999]

Yes. But then again, Indy cars aren't quite as extreme as F1 in terms of grip, downforce, and downright horsepower though.

[flynfrog]

I guess it would be great if you see racing as one dimensional. I see it as at least two the driver is the length and the car is the width. I find spec racing boring since it is missing one of these dimensions.

[raymondu999]

Well yeah F1 is set in a way that highlights both the car and the driver. But personally I find it a bit too car-biased. It should be (for me) more like 50-50, whereas it is rather arguably more 25-75, in the car's favor now.

[Ted68]

Well there is IROC-the International Race Of Champions. Just what you suggest but in a NASCAR type car running about ten events a year. It has deteriorated in recent years and I don't even know if it is still run.

Roger Penske originated the series in the mid-70's with top drivers from every major series around the world in equally prepped Porsche 911 RSR's. In it's last few years it primarily featured American Stock Car, Indy and Outlaw class drivers with a few notable Sports Car drivers from time to time.

It was great racing in it's heyday but developed a NASCAR-Lites feel by the 90's.

[spacer]

Don't forget the former A1GP either, even though those cars were not as powerfull as todays F1 (~550BHP IIRC). I really loved some of the things they did in those races, like the push-to-pass, the limitations on pitstop-crew and the fastest lap point reward.
Too bad it stopped though, guess the whole country-related-team thing made it somewhat too arcade-ish.

[Giblet]

BMW Pro Car series.

This needs to come back, or something very similar.

[Pandamasque]

@ raymondu999 - we will not find out exactly if driver X is 0.1% better than the driver Z, because even in spec cars they will have different race engineers and teams basically.
F1 is nearly a spec series anyway and getting closer to being fully standardized every season.

[Jersey Tom]

F1 is far, far, far from a spec series...

It would be cool to have a 'drivers' race somewhere midway through the season though. Give everyone a factory spec consumer car (GTR, Z06, whatever). Two lap individual qualifying. 15 lap race or something like that.

[Pandamasque]

F1 is far, far, far from a spec series...

I'm sure many would disagree. Including people like Gordon Murray and others who lost interest long time ago. The rules just won't allow different but equally efficient answers to the same question (lapping as quickly as possible). The differences are miniature. All F1 cars are essentially the same and only geeks like me and you would tell them apart if they were all painted white. Teams do all the development separately but in the end build the same car.

It would be cool to have a 'drivers' race somewhere midway through the season though. Give everyone a factory spec consumer car (GTR, Z06, whatever). Two lap individual qualifying. 15 lap race or something like that.

A support race with F1 drivers would be cool indeed, like the old BMW Procar.

[andrew]

F1 is not a single spec series and it should never be that.

If you want to watch a single spec series watch GP2 or F2.

[Giblet]

For once I half agree with Andrew.

F1 should never be a spec series, but it is getting closer.

Mandated front wing profile, standard ECU's, standard engine formula including angle and number of cylinders unlike the past, it seems to get closer all the time.

[Giblet]

F1 is far, far, far from a spec series...

I'm sure many would disagree. Including people like Gordon Murray and others who lost interest long time ago. The rules just won't allow different but equally efficient answers to the same question (lapping as quickly as possible). The differences are miniature. All F1 cars are essentially the same and only geeks like me and you would tell them apart if they were all painted white. Teams do all the development separately but in the end build the same car.

It would be cool to have a 'drivers' race somewhere midway through the season though. Give everyone a factory spec consumer car (GTR, Z06, whatever). Two lap individual qualifying. 15 lap race or something like that.

A support race with F1 drivers would be cool indeed, like the old BMW Procar.

Maybe Mclaren should put up 30 Mp4-12c's for the grid + a few others to enjoy. See how Ferrari likes that

[raymondu999]

Just been reading on the Stig case on the BBC and all... and that reminded me of Top Gear's "in a reasonably priced car" gig. What I meant was something like that. Just to see which driver was fastest in the same car. Whether or not the results are representative are irrelevant to me... it's just some good fun