THE RUMOUR FACTORY FOR 2007

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:44 pm

Ed wrote:Just reading through the Sporting Regulations in detail as I am preparing a summary of the changes, I came across this under 'use of tyres':

Unless he has used wet or extreme-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least one set of each specification of dry-weather tyres during the race
This means that it is already a rule for 2007 that a driver will have to use the 'soft' and 'hard' compounds during the race!

Personally I don't like this but I can see it adding a factor of unpredictabilty to races.

I dont like it either, but it will throw in another variable
ie Who goes on what, when. It should take the teams no more than two races to work out the optimum, then it will be another neutralized variable, and Max will have to go scratch his head, or wherever he keeps his brain.

Ed · Post by Ed » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:56 pm

It think it will really depend on how the chassis handles the two different compound on a particular track. You'd expect teams to go for the soft compound for qualifying and the first stint then switch to the hard compound at the second or third depending on how the chassis handles the tyres.
This could be a big factor at some races.

Remember Alonso struggling in China when he changed tyres while Fisichella and Michael didn't change. Sure those were intermediate tyres and the difference shouldn't be that much between a dry 'soft' and 'hard'

As we know that the 'softer' compound for 2007 will be a lot harder than the 'softer' compound in 2006, I wonder if the two compounds from Bridgestone will be that much different!

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:52 pm

Looking at N.A racing, the hard seems a lot more durable. I doubt there will be a huge difference in adhesion.
Do they have to start on the compound they use for Q?

Ed · Post by Ed » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:48 pm

Julian Mayo wrote:Looking at N.A racing, the hard seems a lot more durable. I doubt there will be a huge difference in adhesion.
Do they have to start on the compound they use for Q?

Since the tyre rules have changed, the teams are allowed to change the tyres but I was saying that given the number of sets they have; it goes like this:

- 14 sets of dry tyres, four sets of wet and three sets of extreme tyres
- Up to 4 sets of dry tyres have to be used for P1 and P2
- 10 sets of dry tyres (5 of each compound) can be used for the rest of the event (P3, Q and Race).
- 1 set of each compound must be returned prior to Qualifying.

So each driver will have 4 sets of each compound available for qualifying and the race. Depending on how many new sets a driver uses in qualifying, drivers may opt to start the race on the tyres they qualified on (assuming they are 'soft') then switch to the 'hard' compound at the first stop. That way they will satisfy the new rule.

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:59 am

I would also expect the "soft" compound to be used for short stints and the "hard" compound on long stints.

However if this rule was introduced to increase excitement I would say it sucks....- Why not having the drivers wear strong glasses or listening to the Grand Prix de la Eurovision during the race??

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:01 am

F1greyhound wrote:I would also expect the "soft" compound to be used for short stints and the "hard" compound on long stints.

However if this rule was introduced to increase excitement I would say it sucks....- Why not having the drivers wear strong glasses or listening to the Grand Prix de la Eurovision during the race??

Or drinking strong stuff from glasses and listening to AC/DC

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:28 am

that would be less sadistic anyway...

Southernman · Post by **Southernman** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:02 am

What exactly do they want to achieve with the new tyre rules besides having a roll the dice element in the race.

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:17 am

Nothing. Thats it. Im sure it will do for them...

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:19 am

sorry hit the button twice..

GhoGho · Post by **GhoGho** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:47 am

F1greyhound wrote:I would also expect the "soft" compound to be used for short stints and the "hard" compound on long stints.

However if this rule was introduced to increase excitement I would say it sucks....- Why not having the drivers wear strong glasses or listening to the Grand Prix de la Eurovision during the race??

Unless of course the car is good to its tyres and the compound of choice is soft.
In that case the short stint would use the hard compound to minimise the impact of a non ideal setup.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:07 am

The FIA is getting closer and closer to artificially watering a corner, having oil on another, hoops of fire on the main straight, and a "wall of death" replacing chicanes. We must stop giving Max ideas.

<T-K> · Post by **<T-K>** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:44 am

Julian Mayo wrote:The FIA is getting closer and closer to artificially watering a corner, having oil on another, hoops of fire on the main straight, and a "wall of death" replacing chicanes. We must stop giving Max ideas.

A pedestrian crossing?

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:10 am

<T-K> wrote:
Julian Mayo wrote:The FIA is getting closer and closer to artificially watering a corner, having oil on another, hoops of fire on the main straight, and a "wall of death" replacing chicanes. We must stop giving Max ideas.
A pedestrian crossing?

Open only to FIA members

Rumour has it he is thinking of making it mandatory to fit tyre cutters to the wheels, the cars will be drawn by horses, with the drivers standing in the cockpits.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:36 am

Maybe to save costs and make it easier for less financially secure teams to do well, he should do away with engines all together and just have pedal cars ... a la Fred Flintstone.