[myavu]

Number "10" was Sachin's jersey number.

Come next year, we may find all drivers having permanent numbers attached to them.

Source : http://www.f1times.co.uk/news/display/08268

They are also planning for Pole Trophy

Source : http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111652

Cheers!

Vinu

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by myavu

Come next year, we may find all drivers having permanent numbers attached to them.

That is silly! The number should be in the championship order and #1 on a car should be for a reason.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by myavu

Number "10" was Sachin's jersey number.

Come next year, we may find all drivers having permanent numbers attached to them.

Source : http://www.f1times.co.uk/news/display/08268

They are also planning for Pole Trophy

Source : http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111652

Cheers!

Vinu

Does that mean Vettel would get #1 for ever? If any driver in current grid has a claim to that number as a permanent number, its Vettel since he is the WDC for last 4 years and has been the driver with car #1 in the last 3 years. If they reserve #1 for WDC and give others the choice for permanent numbers, I guess it wouldn't be an issue.

I hope Kimi takes car# 6. That's the number where he was most successful - missed out WDC by 2 points in 2003 and won the WDC by 1 point in 2007. I was expecting some magic since he would again get car #6 at Ferrari next year based on current rules and standings.

Looks like Pole Trophy would be something like the DHL fastest lap award. No harm there as long as the pole and fastest lap awards do not give championship points.

Originally Posted by deetjohn

That is silly! The number should be in the championship order and #1 on a car should be for a reason.

#1 is treated separately even now. It belongs to WDC winner and remaining order is based on WCC standings. So if they replace WCC order with permanent numbers, it wouldn't be a big mess.

Even now Alonso finished 2nd in WDC but will end up getting car #5 next year since Ferrari are 3rd in constructors. Also, Ricciardo will get car #2 since RBR won the constructors. The current system isn't fair either.

May be the current champion gets a choice whether to use #1 or his permanent number on his car while others go with their numbers. Shouldn't be a big deal if #1 cannot be reserved for a driver.

[rajchetan]

In permanent Number systems, The World Drivers' Champion is entitled to the number 1 car regardless of the constructor's results. Rest all numbers are available to the Drivers.

Its something like Rossi is associated to No 46. this helps a lot in many ways. Most import of all is that the Driver merchandise is easier to associate with the driver. Also as the driver changes teams he can carry the number ahead hence helping people associate to that number.

Its the right way ahead.

[myavu]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

That is silly! The number should be in the championship order and #1 on a car should be for a reason.

Originally Posted by zenren

Does that mean Vettel would get #1 for ever

One interesting fact is that they may even abandon #1 to #9 and go for 2 digit or 3 digit number. This is to avoid confusion among marshals and commentators.

What I recommend is start giving number in chronological order since 1950. Let the number be assigned to the drivers as per debut.

Cheers!

Vinu

[zenren]

Originally Posted by myavu

What I recommend is start giving number in chronological order since 1950. Let the number be assigned to the drivers as per debut.

Wouldn't that mean F1 greats like Ascari or Gilles for example would now have to be associated with a number that they never knew of when they lived? That's the most silly thing to go by, especially when they had specific numbers associated with them when they lived and the current scheme of numbering was introduced decades after they died!

IIRC, #26 was associated with Ascari and #27 with Gilles during their lifetime. It would be the silliest thing to do trying to change history.

[myavu]

Originally Posted by zenren

IIRC, #26 was associated with Ascari and #27 with Gilles during their lifetime. It would be the silliest thing to do trying to change history.

I mean count yesterday's drivers to reach a starting point for today's drivers.

I don't believe in assigning #1 for Vettel. He may be a trend now. But what if someone come tomorrow and win 5 championship in one go and more dominating. Then it will be fair to give MS #1 since he holds the most number of championship record. But that too is short living till some one overhaul it.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by myavu

I mean count yesterday's drivers to reach a starting point for today's drivers.

I don't believe in assigning #1 for Vettel. He may be a trend now. But what if someone come tomorrow and win 5 championship in one go and more dominating. Then it will be fair to give MS #1 since he holds the most number of championship record. But that too is short living till some one overhaul it.

On reading the report in Autosport and elsewhere, its pretty clear that no one would get the right to #1. Rights to that number would be the exclusive property of the defending world champion, just as in MotoGP.

BTW, MS and everyone else is out of question since they have already retired from the sport. These are applicable only for the current drivers.

Among the current lot, lets look at how lucky these drivers were when they drove car #1.

Alonso - 2 seasons, Won WDC and finished 2nd by 1 point.
Kimi - 1 season, finished 3rd in WDC
Hamilton - 1 season, finished 5th in WDC
Button - 1 season, finished 5th in WDC
Vettel - 3 seasons, Won WDC on all 3 occasions.

Apart from Vettel and Alonso, I don't think others really have fond memories of driving car #1 and might actually choose a different number if given a choice. After all, Valentino Rossi never gave up his #46 even though he had the choice of using #1 numerous times.

[anachronix]

I would love the idea of permanent number for the drivers, the numbers as of now its less significant and drivers don't bother to show off their numbers too much. If we move to something like MotoGP or even football, I would love to buy merchandize boasting the number of my favorite driver

[zenren]

Originally Posted by anachronix

If we move to something like MotoGP or even football, I would love to buy merchandize boasting the number of my favorite driver

True. In the current scenario, the number would belong to someone else by the time the merchandise actually becomes available across the globe and we get our hands on them.

[polopm]

Sauber exodus continues !!

http://gptoday.com/full_story/view/4...o_Force_India/

So it looks like Perez to FI ( 2 years ?) and Hulk to FI for one year plus an option to break off in case of a deal from Ferrari in 2015.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by polopm

Sauber exodus continues !!

http://gptoday.com/full_story/view/4...o_Force_India/

So it looks like Perez to FI ( 2 years ?) and Hulk to FI for one year plus an option to break off in case of a deal from Ferrari in 2015.

The article suggests a possibility of 3 cars per team. With just Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren being financially okay and most others struggling to meet both ends, FIA might eventually allow more drivers per team to have the minimum grid size.

However, if this happens, it would ensure all the remaining small teams would have to wind up. They would then need to pay 3 drivers and 3 crews when they struggle to maintain even the current two!

[anachronix]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111657

Bernie stupid, stop making this sport an entertainment gala!

[zenren]

Originally Posted by anachronix

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111657

Bernie stupid, stop making this sport an entertainment gala!

Bernie himself introduced over importance and dependence on tyres in F1 by defining the number of sets available for a driver over the weekend and how many sets would need to be returned after each session.

Lack of enough spare sets made flat-spotting a much bigger risk than in the past and this prevented most teams from driving flat out during a race. Once no one was driving flat out, nursing the tyres to extract maximum life became the more sensible option to gain the time lost in an additional pit stop.

An indirect way of looking at the rule is that Pirelli is supposed to ensure that the option tyres should last 30% of race distance and prime tyres should last 50% since that is what FIA expects. It was really a joke to see most drivers pit as early as lap 2 or 3 since the option tyre was done by then.

This newly proposed rule would only make manufacturers focus less on managing tyre wear than this season. Of course, they have engines and aero/chassis to worry about next year anyway. We can expect to see more blow outs next season as a consequence if cars start being more punishing over the tyres and Pirelli cannot live up to the expectations.

[sa_kiran]

Alonso banned from tweeting - http://feedly.com/e/OI7pEObP?utm_con...ampaign=Buffer