Bob Barnard Track Engineering

I would guess that most of you have read the book "The Art of Racing in the Rain." Good book, and so popular the FIA have brought you a sequal, "Racing in the Slightly Wet." It is more of a serial, as it happens often during the year, the latest edition being Melbourne qualifying last night, for me anyway. I got up at 2 am to watch, and like so many I would guess gave up at 3 am and went back to sleep.

The FIA have regulated themselves almost into NASCAR where we cannot race if it rains a bit. NASCAR must laugh when they see the high tech brooms being wielded by marshals to dry the track. How did we get to a point where it is not possible to stay on the track when it rains? The stupid regulation putting cars into parc ferme when qualifying starts. Now I understand how that started, but like always they go too far. No one wants to go back to 1000 hp plus qualy engines good for two laps, but the current restrictions go too far. If teams could alter ride height and change wings for more downforce we might see some racing, instead of the medical car running around. Common sense is not very common it seems. Why not just draw lots for starting grid, the current system is just a lottery anyway, and is damaging cars.

No one wants to see drivers hurt racing in unsafe conditions, but there must be a happy medium here. And what's the idea of three sets of rain tires other than to save Pirelli money? Are we being "green?" We will get to a wet race one weekend where they use all the tires and the race is cancelled. If teams had more tires they could be out circulating and moving water off the track, instead of sitting in the garage saving tires.

Oh yes, then we have the 5 pm start time thanks to Bernie to suit European viewers. If the US is so important then why do we have to watch at 2 am? We saw in Malaysia a few years ago the problems a delay then causes, and we saw it again last night, because it was almost night in Melbourne by the time they gave up. The next call will be for two day GPs again if you can fit in Qualifying and race on Sunday.