Formula One: Standard Formula Lacks Creativity

As strange as some of the new 2009 cars look, I have been reading with great interest, Max Mosley’s plans to introduce more and more standardised parts in to Formula One motor racing. 

As I read, I have become increasingly perturbed by it. I applaud initiatives to bring the costs down by making manufacturers supply cheap gearboxes and engines, but to increase standard parts in a sport, which is already being restricted by over zealous rules governing the cars is surely to take away the very essence of what makes Formula One great. 

During this winter period break from Formula One and the decreased testing schedule I have been gorging on the 70s season reviews. 

I’ve actually watched all 10 years in barely a week and this is the first time I have seen proper extended footage from this era and it enthralled me.

I’ve been watching Formula one continuously since 1991 and although the cars are now unrecognisable from that period, the change was more evolution than revolution. 

Watching the 70s, I was amazed at how every year the cars were changing and developing, the Tyrrell team were coming up with six wheeled cars, Colin Chapman of Lotus was inventing the wing car, Renault introduced Turbo power, and Brabham even had a fan which sucked the car to the ground (although it was swiftly banned). 

This is surely what Formula One is all about; striving for an edge over the others by inventing new things.

We see it to a less noticeable extent these days but it still exists in the mystical world of aerodynamics, but is the sport now under threat of having that taken away in the name of cost cutting, does it really have to be sanitised that much?

It seems a shame that that inventive spirit is being taken away, as even now there are rumours of standardised KERS in a few years, which surely defeats the point of it being introduced, which was to speed up development in competition.

With the teams organization FOTA preparing for battle with the FIA over a great many things, we can only hope that they fight for their own independence before it all turns a bit GP2. 

But I suppose this year we can at least be thankful the new rules have brought some good, some bad, and some weird looking designs, let us hope it continues.