I have to say that I have NO idea what the changes actually are - if you do how about some comment/explanation? Then this thread can get going a bit.

All I've seen on the news is that the team bosses rejected the most radical suggestions which, I bet, means not much change at all for next season or the season after.

C'mon - chip in anyone! :)

Top 8 finishers score points.

Team orders banned (no idea how they are going to police this...).

Qualifying now split into two sections with 3 laps per driver in each section (ie. only 1 flying lap per section). THen times for two flying laps are combined to give qualifying time.

Reasonabley radical, but not oververly so. I'll reserve my judgement till it all kicks off.

I haven't followed Formula 1 much lately, at least not since the late 90s. As far as I know, the distribution of points is also going to change. 10 for the 1st, 8 for the 2nd and 6 for the 3rd. The two most radical proposals were vetoed (sp?): the extra weight weight and the rotation of pilots among all the teams (each pilot would do a race in a different team- this would be interesting).

What I really am sorry for though, is the absence of Spa in the calendar. It was the greatest circuit IMHO. :(

Well, the absence of spa shows that the formula one has become way too commercial.
Some changes are good, but I'm glad that the weight thingy didn't get through. That would've been complete and utter bs.

1. Top 8 finishers get points
Not necessary in my opinion. The point distribution wasn't really a problem. And currently the number of cars gets less and less, soon everybody will get points.

2. Two qualifying sessions, one on Friday and one on Saturday
Wasn't the Friday qualifying abolished some years ago, and rightfully so? Who is able to watch that at about noon on Friday (considering the European races)?
Furthermore the cars will only have one flying lap each per qualifying session and they will all drive seperatly.
Although there's something good about it I think that it emphasizes luck too much (just think about rain setting in but also smaller weather changes like temperature).

3.Less testing
I'm okay with that, but I don't think it will archieve much.

4.Each team will be allowed to use two different dry tyres at each Event
Hard to tell if that will really be of benefit for smaller teams, as officially intended.

5.Team orders banned
As mordhiem said, how are they going to police that?

6.Belgian Grand Prix removed from the schudule
:mad:
A really bad decision. Spa is in my opinion the best F1 track because it demands at least a bit from the driver and not just the car.

All in all I think it's a very bad decision. Almost all changes are not necessary or even dangerous for a competition in the sense of sport (the qualifying for example). And the real problems, for example that overtaking is almost impossible on many tracks, have not been adressed. The electronics have not been reduced, why didn't they just abolish the drivers?

I just read them last night in the paper - not exactly amazing shake up is it?

I said a while ago they should abolish the blue flag rule to try and get some agro between drivers built up - everyone loves that sort of stuff (Coulthard v Montoya last season was funny).

Also, a more radical change to the distribution of TV money would be good - more money being given to the poor teams to try and improve them for the next season (as with the NFL draft choices going first to the teams who finished last in their divisions etc)

We'll be back here this time next year for more tinkering after Ferrari clean up yet again i bet :sleep: :sleep:

Originally posted by Hitro
Spa is in my opinion the best F1 track because it demands at least a bit from the driver and not just the car.

True, but the reason Spa was axed is because the track and facilities are quite literally falling apart. There has been next to no work on the stands, hospitality etc. since the 60's and the place is a mess. The track is also in extreemley poor condition, with cracks all over the place, makng it a health hazard just walking on it let alone racing on it at 160 mph. The FIA said it might get accepted back if they can sort it out, but I don't think they have enough money to do enough refurbishment, so it's most likley gone for ever :(.

I've heard that the reason was the belgian government antecipating the legislation banning publicity on tobacco, which was scheduled to 2006 in the rest of the EU.

Originally posted by MCdread
I've heard that the reason was the belgian government antecipating the legislation banning publicity on tobacco, which was scheduled to 2006 in the rest of the EU.
That's what I've heard as well. Some teams didn't want to accept the tobacco advertisment ban so it was decided to take out the track.
It's all about money.

one way or another.......
Ferrari will dominate again :)

The problem is that they have changed some things but they've changed the things that are unlikely to make the driving more competitive and exciting to watch. One lap qualification could be good but its over two days so a driver would need two bad laps.

At least extra points mean that the other 5 teams will not be counting on one of the cars from the big 3 teams failing to score points. Also the difference between first and second is less points so the championship shouldn't be decided as quickly.

I surely won`t mind one more Ferrari - year :cool:

As to rules:
- 8 finishers score points.
Small teams will always score points that way and there will be thus "serious" competition in the rear (there is already actually...) It doesn`t mean that those teams will be able to attack the top 6 though where in fact nothing will change.
If you use the new points-system on last years results you will see that the changes are minimal - 3 or 4 drivers will go a place up or down and all outside the top 10...
A disadvantage is that there is now less use to go for the victory as 2nd place gives almost the same amount of points so probably even less fights in the front....

- solo-runs in qualification
that part I like, if only because it remains me of those old racing-simulations where you had just one qualifying lap :). I do wonder what they do in qualifications with changing weather conditions though....

-team-orders
i don`t believe that it is possible to control

-belgian gp
maybe that will finally make f1 come back to zandvoort ;)

Boo for Zandvoort, ya for Webber and Jungle-Boy :D