New F1 regulations: Drivers are divided

Hervé, thank you for the clarification. If we don't want to see the drivers lifting off the throttle halfway down the straight at Monza, we'll have to find a solution. To François: And who defines what constitutes a spectacle? Cars overtaking and re-overtaking each other on the straights at the touch of a button—who finds that entertaining? Ten-year-olds? Whereas drivers chasing each other, gaining or losing tenths of a second, that's breathtaking. Now that's suspense, not childish entertainment.

Absolutely Vincent Moynet: "If I understand correctly, if the battery discharge was less rapid, all the cars would be overall a little less powerful but would retain this power for longer," and I would add: "and would need me charging time, so we need to find the right ratio to avoid super-clipping, which is an aberration in motor racing."

As a young enthusiast (82 years old), I am appalled by the decline of F1, which is supposed to be a spectacle. Everything is becoming artificial, and I find real entertainment watching F3 and F2 races. My solution: a single chassis and a single, supplied fuel volume. Total freedom for engine architecture, because that's where real progress is needed. Aerodynamic improvements are of little importance for our cars, which only reach a maximum speed of 130 km/h.

Thank you Cyprien for this clear and precise analysis. It's a welcome change from many other bland and repetitive ones.

This is probably a solution that will be necessary for large circuits with few braking points (Monza being the prime example), otherwise chicanes will have to be added in the middle of the straight to be able to recharge the batteries.

If I understand correctly, if the battery discharged less quickly, all the cars would be generally a little less powerful but would maintain that power for longer, instead of a constant yo-yo between empty and full battery? This would undoubtedly be a bit more rational for the drivers and what we see on the track, without changing the 50/50 ratio of combustion to electric power. We'll have to see if the FIA ​​(and especially Liberty Media, which is pulling the strings) wants Mario Kart or Formula 1... There are probably still some adjustments to be made.

It should be possible, for example, to limit the power of the electric motor to 50% for the majority of the lap and leave only 2 or 3 seconds of the lap at full power to satisfy the 50-50 sales pitch.

It will likely be necessary to adopt a more favorable charge/discharge ratio, thus allowing for more rationed use of the electric motor's power, so that charging phases are less demanding on a lap and avoid the need for super-clipping. It's up to the federation to figure out how to implement these restrictions on electrical power usage without losing face.