Rules And Regulations Stopping Fomula One Developing How It Should

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Simulator technology could be offered to normal car manufacturers testing out your every day car. This simulator here is McLaren's.

I was reading about McLaren who are currently developing their own wind tunnel but are restricted on it's use even though it is theirs. The FIA is taking their controls too far and trying to push through engine information sharing from 2021. Renault are happy that they are not going to be supplying their engine to other teams from next year and see it as an advantage now.

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I love the idea of secrecy and development and outdoing the other teams through an engineering break through. It seems that testing of components with new types of machines is one of the ways forward and is permitted. Mercedes have a jig rigged up that can test the chassis and it's components covering an entire season in just over three and a half hours. Different tyres are used as the pressure exerted on them for this time period would make them explode.

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Red Bull I think have gone the right way as the engine worries are left with Honda now and can focus all their attention to the car itself.

The FIA has curbed testing rules and a host of other things to try and make the Formula One competition a more even playing field. Personally I think this is wrong and very closed minded as allow a team to do whatever they want if it advances the sport. Who cares if Haas or Sauber can't do a certain test because of budgets, racing fans want to see the best cars performing at the highest level possible and I believe the top teams are being held back.

I read through the white paper on rules and regulations tonight and was a little surprised on what I was reading.The teams are limited to so many testing days a year and you can see why the practice sessions take on even more importance before a race. The FIA has wrapped the teams up in so many rules and regulations they have no space to really develop like they should.The testing was stopped in 2009 and is reported to cost the teams 50 000 miles worth of research every year. This is where the teams could improve and out do each other through development and just being inventive.

A prime example is a Formula One car from 3 years ago is still not allowed on a track as it could still be deemed as testing. The teams gave only so many days a year for testing purposes and it needs to be documented and permission granted first. All wind tunnel testing goes against the time for track testing so teams are restricted in this area as well. No full size cars allowed and only models are allowed to be used up to a maximum of 60 percent of the full scale.

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It is not a go kart but a scaled down model of the Mercedes Formula One car for wind tunnel testing.

All teams have test drivers but what are they really testing? Esteban Ocon is Mercedes test driver and spends his days in a simulator and not on a track. I think this is fine but we have all played computer games and maybe why drivers can push themselves to the limit as you would lose the sense of what is real and what isn't. If we crash whilst playing we can push reset but these are lives that they are playing with and it is reality.

It isn't surprising to see where the development is taking place these days and teams are concentrating on the engines,battery and components. Over the last few years the battery storage of power has come to the forefront in most cars and will only improve under these conditions. Good for all of us as in the future this technology filters back to the every day car on the road.

No wonder teams have virtual reality garages and simulators as they are not allowed to just do what they want. The FIA has been trying to take away the virtual reality side of things as they see it as a loop hole for the bigger teams and unfair for the teams that can't afford it. I say leave them alone and may the best team win no matter what budget they have. No restrictions and let everyone develop whatever they want as long as it complies to the safety regulations.