Standing re-starts after safety car to be introduced next season in F1

Next season, Formula 1 is to introduce standing re-starts following a safety-car periods. The move, intended to make place changes more likely at a re-start, is one of a series of rule changes introduced by governing body the FIA. Among them, the rules on noses will be changed to prevent the 'anteater' noses that predominate this season.



As, F1 bosses feel that the current rolling starts behind a safety car do not provide sufficient excitement, because there is almost never any overtaking. A standing start increases the chances of drivers gaining or losing positions.

The safety car will be retained to control the pace of the field while any accident damage is cleared because it provides a commercial benefit to F1 - Mercedes pay to provide the safety and medical cars.

And so here is my opinion on this, if it ain't broken don't fix it. Personally, I think this new rule is not the greatest idea as it would damage the starts to a Grand Prix as it won't make it special anymore.

Lets change sports for a minute to athletics in a 100 metres race for Olympic gold. Race starts on the marks we have Usian Bolt leading. But then at 50 metres mark, we have the runners going back on their marks again to finish off the race. It they did that it would lost a bit of the specialness of the start.



The new safety car rule is to provide sufficient excitement to the F1 audience. Personally as an F1 fan the racing is great this season, minus the noise. And altering the rules will bring in the viewers is not the right way.

The problem for the reason why the audience figures have gone down due to three reasons:

• The noise of the F1 cars of the new V6 Turbo Hybrid is one, as they're too quite, I think the audience is missing the noise from the old V8s from last year.

• Two, the interaction with social media from the FOM side and not using YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to get more of the audience in, even Bernie Ecclestone saying it won't help the sport because "we're commercial" compared to other series such as BTCC, MotoGP and V8 Supercars to name a few that Social Media that does help their series.

• And finally the third one is that F1 is under pay per view channels nowadays, instead focusing on staying on the free channels within the European countries, which a few years back their ratings was as nearly as big to compare what the Olympics and the World Cup gets. Which I am guessing in 2014 in their ratings won't be as big what the WWE will get on a Monday night over in America. That is end of my rant for that.

Others rule changes include tweaks to the number of tests and reductions in the allowed amount of research and development, both aimed at cutting costs.

The three pre-season tests will have to take place in Europe, whereas until now teams could test further afield, and the number of in-season tests will be reduced from four two-day tests to two.

Two of the permitted four days must be reserved for drivers with limited experience of F1, in order to make it easier the next generation of drivers.

Among other cost-cutting plans, teams will be allowed to use only four engines per season, down from the current five, unless there are more than 20 races.

The FIA said the changes to the nose rules would "ensure improved safety and provide more aesthetically pleasing structures".

Many of this year's cars have narrow protuberances forward of the main nose structure to satisfy rules that were aimed at making the noses lower for safety reasons but in which teams found loopholes.

Overall, I hope we don't see as much of the safety car next season.

End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.