Planet-F1

Together Let's Make F1 Better

Saturday 4th October 2008

You may have seen that F1 Racing magazine has launched a massive survey sponsored by ING to find out the views of fans around the world. As usual they've dodged all the really interesting questions about how the sport is policed and what is Max's favourite alter-ego, Max, Mike, Gunther? If you have an hour and a half to spare you can try filling it in, too.

But don't, whatever you do, adopt unusual personalities and vote for rubbish - i.e. Overtaking is ruining F1 - or - Let's have a race in the Arctic etc. That would be plain crazy and Off On F1 abhors that kind of behaviour. For those crazy loons who might be tempted to playfully skew the F1 Racing results (how about making Adrian Sutil the most popular F1 driver) we have devised our own - slightly more realistic set of questions.

Would you like to see more technical features in the television coverage?Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* Do us a favour...
* Yes, they are a truly fascinating and a much overlooked part of F1 racing
* I would prefer that no racing was shown and that we just had long, lingering shots
of the engines, both with and without covers.

The Safety Car rules have upset the race order in quite a few grands prix this season. Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* I only think they're a good thing when my team gets an advantage from them (Luca di M)
* They can make a dull race really interesting. We should have a random Safety Car at the Spanish and Hungarian GP. In fact teams should be allowed to call one Safety Car per season the way they call time outs in Basketball.
* Ever since we've had Safety Cars they've distorted the result of the race and they're a lot better than stopping it
* Drivers should hit the pit lane speed limiter (the higher USGP limit) within 10 seconds of a Safety Car then they can pit when they want and they all resume racing on a signal.
* The Safety Car should play an ice cream van jingle all the way round.

How would you rate the consistency of the decisions by the FIA stewards in 2008? Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* I believe the stewards do a brilliant job
* I believe the stewards are often awake for long periods of the grands prix, especially if it's an exciting one.
* I believe the stewards should only be allowed to punish the McLaren team or drivers
* I believe the stewards are a pile of excrement scraped out of motoring associations round the world that support Max Mosley and do their best to deliver the result they know he wants for fear of losing their travelling expenses
* I believe the fact that it sometimes takes them 15 laps to come to a decision - and then leave it till after the race - means that they are deep thinkers.
* I believe that F1 would not be improved by having ex-drivers and team members as it'll make races far more predictable.

When a team appeals a decision after a race, when should the FIA tell the teams if it's admissible or not? Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* Immediately
* Only when they've paid a lot of money organising their legal case.
* After the FIA have heard the case.

Should Ron Dennis be allowed to wear body warmers in the pitlane? Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* No, never. Ever.
*Only between December and February.
* Just occasionally.

What do you think of the TV coverage? Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* I think the TV coverage is excellent. No really.
* I think the TV coverage would be improved if they re-introduced Bernie's 8-screen interactive digital service they introduced in 2002. Then you could watch the race normally, then re-watch it from the onboard camera of your favourite driver all over again.
* I think the TV coverage would be improved if we heard all the race radios, as I've heard Kimi Raikkonen emits dolphin noises instead of talking.

Have you seen the 2009 spec cars and what was your reaction? Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* I haven't seen them, but I'm sure they'll be lovely.
* Oh my god I've seen them and the rear wings make them look like a child has drawn them.
* I think we need to give them a while to sink in, I'm sure after a while we'll get used to them and no-one will call them Bastard A1GP Cars From Hell
* Frank Williams was right when he said there'd be nowhere to stick the sponsors' names.

How do you think F1 can add to the fun and excitement? Tick the statement that most represents your views.
* Fancy dress races
* Driver Karaoke to determine grid position
* Reverse grids - i.e. grids where drivers have to reverse off the line
* Ask Max's dungeon mates to be grid girls - maybe in Abu Dhabi
* Adapt the Suzuka track to have a cross-over, like in Scalextric
* Keep the Safety Car rules as they are