Comments on: F1 links: Mosley criticises “childish” Howett

By: persempre

persempre — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:18:20 +0000

I think the customer car issue would have been a better route but the regulations & payment set-up made it much too complicated.
If payment wasn`t reliant on constructors points & the old CA rule of “all must be constructors” was dropped then the grid entries would probably have risen as quickly, if not quicker, than any budget cap.
There would be nothing to stop individual customer teams making alterations & improvements on their cars in just the same way as happens now.
To me the death of F1 would not be customer cars. It would be standardised cars.
Just my thoughts but we know it`s not likely to happen.

By: DGR-F1

DGR-F1 — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:20:41 +0000

Maybe its time to seek out the loopholes and redefine a ‘customer car’.
I am just thinking that although Scuderia Marlboro Ferrari may pull out of F1, what is to stop the factory from making cars for 2010 and selling them to the likes of Arden, Torro Rosso and iSport for about €40M including spares and assistance?
To me that doesn’t make them ‘customers’ as Ferrari aren’t racing, but the cars on the grid are still Ferraris…..
And I don’t see why Renault and Toyota cannot do the same.

By: persempre

persempre — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:58:12 +0000

Yes, but for those who wanted to enter F1 without the funds, customer cars were the traditional way to get in.
Frank Williams (the most vocal opponent of the idea when it was last raised) would never have got into the sport if they hadn`t been allowed back when he started.

By: F1Yankee

F1Yankee — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:01:42 +0000

don’t touch the guitar!
i was just pointing…
don’t point! don’t even look at it!

By: F1Yankee

F1Yankee — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:57:46 +0000

customer cars is the exact opposite of what f1 is about. the sport is played on the factory floor.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:44:44 +0000

Spinal Tap quotage on F1 Fanatic. Sweet

By: F1Yankee

F1Yankee — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:55:41 +0000

the merc batteries are a very awkward shape, prob custom fit for the mclaren chassis. i have no idea if it’s possible or legal to repackage the system in a different shape.

By: F1Yankee

F1Yankee — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:47:35 +0000

that was really good. it’s incredible how easy schu made that look. to demonstrate how alcohol effects your driving, they should have gone back out after putting down bacardi for an hour

By: F1Yankee

F1Yankee — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:24:50 +0000

bbc america doesn’t arrive at my house for free, or intact for that matter. while we’re at it, bbc has been airing shows in the states for 4 decades, and that wasn’t free either.

By: persempre

persempre — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:22:21 +0000

Customer cars would probably have overcome a lot of the budget problems for smaller teams.