Steve Slater on Formula One: Formula Future, or Formula Farce?

By Steve Slater
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March 21,2014

The introduction of ground-breaking new technical regulations for the 2014 Formula One world championship season cannot be said to have proved a success so far. The teams arrived at the opening race of the season in Melbourne last weekend, not even sure whether many of their cars would reach the chequered flag. This led to a lacklustre race where many drivers battled for survival rather than victory.

 

Not only that: there were howls of anguish (which most likely would have drowned out the muted sound of the 2014 ‘eco’ cars) at the lack of a suitable soundtrack for the fastest motor racing formula in the world. We all knew it was coming, and lamented the passing of the shrieking, high-revving V8 engines, but even the most hardy of fans were disappointed by the flatulent rasp of the turbocharged V6s.

 

There were positive things to come of the shaky start of Formula One’s ‘new era’. All credit to the technical brains in the F1 teams, not least at Red Bull Racing, who transformed a car which would barely run a single lap in testing into a competitive front-runner on raceday. As a demonstration of engineering problem-solving it was a true sign of Formula One’s technical prowess.

 

In addition, we had some great ‘good news’ stories, with a worthy podium finish for McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen in his first-ever Grand Prix. And we potentially had a perfect Aussie ‘home hero’ story with Daniel Ricciardo claiming pole position in his first drive for Red Bull Racing, before chasing race winner Nico Rosberg all the way to the chequered flag.

 

Then of course, the FIA intervened. Not for the first time, shooting Formula One in the foot. Around five hours after the Melbourne crowd had cheered themselves hoarse celebrating Ricciardo’s success, the FIA stewards announced that they had disqualified his second place as the result of a technical infringement.

 

We’ll pick through the technical reasons for Ricciardo’s exclusion in a moment, but the penalty and the way it was administered, to me lies at the heart of a flaw in the way Formula One is run. In the USA, the NASCAR racing series is every-bit as close fought and competitive, but the organizers have one golden rule.

 

The drivers that the audience see on the podium, wherever possible, keep their results whatever technical or driving infringement may subsequently be revealed. Should a penalty be required, it is moved on to the next race, either in terms of a hefty fine, a starting penalty or even exclusion from the event.

 

NASCAR’s respect for its audience ensures that when you go home after watching a race, you do so knowing for sure who had won. It is a philosophy that has served the sport well.

 

It remains, even including Formula One, by far the most popular motor sport in America. Sadly Formula One, with its anal-retentive regard for an ever-more complex rulebook and a lack of regard for the fans, does not ever seem to heed that message.

 

To be fair to the FIA and its trackside officials in Melbourne, they did their best in the contentious decision to exclude Ricciardo. The controversy extends from new-for-2014 rules which, in addition to restricting the total amount of fuel used to complete a race, also puts a restriction on the maximum fuel flow to the engine at any time.

 

This restriction of 100kg/h is designed to stop drivers charging hard for part of the race, then crawling to save fuel close to the end and is measured using the fuel flow sensor which is homologated by the FIA and operated by the team. In the case of the Red Bull, the sensor began giving odd readings in Friday practice. Another sensor was fitted on Saturday and its reading too, did not line up with the fuel which was actually being used by the engine.

 

During Sunday’s race, an FIA technical representative watching the telemetry saw that the indicated fuel flow was again too high and contacted the team, giving them the opportunity to reduce the flow to meet the FIA rule. It was noteworthy that a number of other teams got a similar message and were equally cynical, but reduced their fuel flow and pace. Red Bull, no doubt sure that their own engine data was correct, chose not to make the correction.

 

Red Bull Racing have lodged an appeal against the decision and Ricciardo’s second place will now be decided by an FIA Tribunal in Paris. Was the sensor truly faulty, or were Red Bull cynically manipulating Ricciardo’s feelgood result? Whatever that result, the fact that the Australian fans were denied a home hero celebration must be counted as yet another Formula One own goal.

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