Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in motor sport

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by WalterBright on Saturday October 17, 2020 @03:32AM (#24808145)

I've idly thought that if I was the F1 Czar I'd ban all transistors in the cars, except for in safety equipment. Not even a radio. Have the operation of the car be up to driver skill, not computer programmer virtuosity. (And I'm a programmer!)

Of course, it is possible to make mechanical computers, but they are very costly to develop, heavy, take up lots of space, hard to modify, etc. Besides, it's a lost art.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by mft_ on Saturday October 17, 2020 @05:43AM (#24808817)

Formula 1 is meant to represent the pinnacle of technology. (Although arguably it doesn’t now, thanks to the myriad restrictions).

Your idea would probably give us a great racing series, but it wouldn’t be Formula 1.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by happyjack on Saturday October 17, 2020 @09:21AM (#24809779)

You are spot on. At the core F1 is less about racing and more about the pinnacle "formula."

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by exDM69 on Saturday October 17, 2020 @08:15AM (#24809409)

Transistors have been in racing cars since 1967 when the Cosworth DFV engine, with a "transistorized ignition" system, was put to the back of the Lotus 49, driven by Jim Clark and Graham Hill.

Going all mechanical would be going back to an era long gone. It would be difficult to attract funding for a formula racing series (not a spec series) based on obsolete technology.

That said, the early 1960s era of 1.5 liter V8 engines produced some of the most eloquent racing machines ever.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by WalterBright on Saturday October 17, 2020 @03:35PM (#24812521)

My 1972 Dodge came with a "transistorized" ignition. It was one transistor!

(I replaced it with an MSD ignition box.)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by wil421 on Saturday October 17, 2020 @08:45AM (#24809553)

Sounds like you would like NASCAR.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by happyjack on Saturday October 17, 2020 @09:22AM (#24809781)

Its all fun and games until you lose a couple billion in your sport from tobacco sponsors.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in... by wil421 on Saturday October 17, 2020 @09:37AM (#24809879)

Another poster had a YouTube link of a famous F1 driver. I couldn’t help but notice all the Marlboro advertising.

[ Parent | on HN ]