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[vaptin]

Let's just have 5 teams with four cars each, this way more air time for everyone and no back markers. It would be so exciting watching qualifying on Saturdays when it's a RedBull 1,2,3,4. Monaco would be a blast to watch.

If we solved the cars following each other closely problem, and get back to tracks with overtaking possibilities, that (honestly) would start to sound pretty decent.

[f1ea]

Let's just have 5 teams with four cars each, this way more air time for everyone and no back markers. It would be so exciting watching qualifying on Saturdays when it's a RedBull 1,2,3,4. Monaco would be a blast to watch.

Gotta fix the "team order" rule before that happens...
Would you imagine ?? ... ??

[What's Burning?]

Let's just have 5 teams with four cars each, this way more air time for everyone and no back markers. It would be so exciting watching qualifying on Saturdays when it's a RedBull 1,2,3,4. Monaco would be a blast to watch.

Gotta fix the "team order" rule before that happens...
Would you imagine ?? ... ??

With only 5 top shelf A1 top of the heap type teams in FOM, they could change any rule they wanted. We'd be spared all of those pesky new teams and manufactures trying to break into the sport, who needs new blood (and money) anyway.

[What's Burning?]

oops.

[texasmr2]

I kinda sped through the replies (had to ticket myself lol ) but it seems most agree that the blue flags need to go. I just wanted to hear the various opinons concerning them so thanks for offering your opinion's .

[darwin dali]

Basically, lets find out who the weakest team is and then drag everyone down to their standard - I've actually seen this theory in action - it was when I was in Pyong Yang.

Or currently in the US with No Child Left Behind

[spankyham]

Basically, lets find out who the weakest team is and then drag everyone down to their standard - I've actually seen this theory in action - it was when I was in Pyong Yang.

Or currently in the US with No Child Left Behind

I guess we'd better add Australia with Hawkey's "no child in poverty"

[The Oz]

Stuff tits. If your a lap down you should not influence a race result. If your so slow that you're a lap down you need to get the hell out of the way and dont get involved

[texasmr2]

Stuff tits. If your a lap down you should not influence a race result. If your so slow that you're a lap down you need to get the hell out of the way and dont get involved

Yet F1 drivers are concieved as the 'best in the world' so why can't they pass without the aid of the blue flag? I mean I have watched it happen for atleast 25+yr's before they were implemented .

Did Senna,Prost,Schumacher,Lauda,Piquet,Jones,Rosberg,Scheckter,Andretti or Fittipaldi etc etc need a blue flag to make a pass, I think not .

[spankyham]

Stuff tits. If your a lap down you should not influence a race result. If your so slow that you're a lap down you need to get the hell out of the way and dont get involved

Yet F1 drivers are concieved as the 'best in the world' so why can't they pass without the aid of the blue flag? I mean I have watched it happen for atleast 25+yr's before they were implemented .

Did Senna,Prost,Schumacher,Lauda,Piquet,Jones,Rosberg,Scheckter,Andretti or Fittipaldi etc etc need a blue flag to make a pass, I think not .

I'm gonna pretend I'm too young to recognise that list of names, even though I could add a few older ones.

Of course they can pass these back-markers. I think you're missing the point. Where you pass a car depends on where you catch them. And even back markers can't be passed at at every point on a track. In the good-ole days (so I've heard) the leader would catch the back markers, who often didn't see him coming. He'd have to wait for a section where he could pass him. While waiting the guy behind catches up. Once the back marker got passed by the leader, he would look for the other cars following and give way, generally making it easier for the next guy to get past with much less delay. The upshot was that the front guy, who had done the work and built the lead was penalised for getting ahead.

But I say, replace the blue flags with lazer guided sharks and shoot them at any backmarker.

[f1ea]

Also... i have said many times, the issue is having a guy racing for 0 pts fighting a guy going for 25. The backmarker have nothing to lose out of a rash move, on the contrary, they will get even more exposure even if its in the form of showing a crash they caused. Beats going unnoticed.

[myownalias]

The blue flags are here to stay; Virgin and Lotus are making noises, partly because of commercial reasons (more TV airtime). Apart from the safety aspect; as f1ea mentioned, the backmarkers have nothing to lose by holding up a car that is several seconds faster. which *might* cause an incident leaving a leading driver off the track or out of the race. The other aspect is *cheating* for example; a Toro Rosso holding up a McLaren to allow a Red Bull to scamper away or catch up with with their rivals.

To address Tex's comments; F1 is a very different sport from the days of the names you mention; it's now harder to follow close behind because of the dirty air which makes overtaking a slower car more difficult through high speed corners. If the leading driver gets too close; he'll lose front end grip and wash out wide losing time.

[What's Burning?]

My preference is for the blue flags at this point unless there was a very compelling reason not to have them, Branson complaining isn't a compelling enough. I may be a bit naive here but I'd like to think they want to race just as much as the next guy.

It's somewhat cynical to say that the reason is simply wanting more air time by being able to hold up a front runner. In the long run, if getting their logo sen on F1 televised events then why not buy space in a team that's contenting... it would be much cheaper.

[SennaVille]

I've skimmed this thread, but not read it thoroughly, so sorry if this has been brought up:

What if a blue-flagged driver is driving a Torro Rosso and a Red Bull is behind him, followed by a Ferrari. Under the current rules, he has to let either driver pass as easily as possible. If there was no blue flag, he could pull aside easily for the RB and make it really hard for the Ferrari to pass.

Or, a back-marker could have a personal friend of his zooming up behind, let him through and then make it difficult for the guy behind to overtake.

Rules are there for a reason All's fair in love and war and all that

[myownalias]

I've skimmed this thread, but not read it thoroughly, so sorry if this has been brought up:

What if a blue-flagged driver is driving a Torro Rosso and a Red Bull is behind him, followed by a Ferrari. Under the current rules, he has to let either driver pass as easily as possible. If there was no blue flag, he could pull aside easily for the RB and make it really hard for the Ferrari to pass.

Or, a back-marker could have a personal friend of his zooming up behind, let him through and then make it difficult for the guy behind to overtake.

Rules are there for a reason All's fair in love and war and all that

It has been mentioned at least twice; but it's all good! I actually used the exact scenario as you!!!

I believe the blue flags work in the current situation of F1; without blue flags there's too much scope for abuse; I don't believe that the front runners should have to "race" with backmarkers, maybe bringing the 107% rule down t a 103% rule will solve the problem, blue flags will no longer be needed as those slower teams will not be on the grid!!!