F1RDS - 2015 Season - Preparation for 2016/Driver Signups

[DemocalypseNow]

Wow. Two wins in 4 races, and the lead of the championship? I couldn't ask for more. Well, except for some of the stash of Foster's...

Foster's. Because Australians have a dark sense of humour.

Foster's is all the rubbish stuff that we send over to those naive Poms over in the Motherland. We keep all the good stuff for ourselves

Like that piss water they try to pass off as beer called XXXX?

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Foster's. Because Australians have a dark sense of humour.

Foster's is all the rubbish stuff that we send over to those naive Poms over in the Motherland. We keep all the good stuff for ourselves

Like that piss water they try to pass off as beer called XXXX?

Only Queenslanders drink XXXX

[TomWazzleshaw]

Foster's. Because Australians have a dark sense of humour.

Foster's is all the rubbish stuff that we send over to those naive Poms over in the Motherland. We keep all the good stuff for ourselves

Like that piss water they try to pass off as beer called XXXX?

Eurobrun's hit the nail on the head. We tend to distance ourselves from them Queenslanders. Hell, we'll consider offers from those Kiwis to buy Queensland and Glenmore Park from us

[Shizuka]

And again! One driver on the podium, another one in the midfield - but since it's Monaco, it was bound to happen...

[DemocalypseNow]

Foster's is all the rubbish stuff that we send over to those naive Poms over in the Motherland. We keep all the good stuff for ourselves

Like that piss water they try to pass off as beer called XXXX?

Eurobrun's hit the nail on the head. We tend to distance ourselves from them Queenslanders. Hell, we'll consider offers from those Kiwis to buy Queensland and Glenmore Park from us

Oi shut up mate, part of my family is from Brisbane, better than that hole that is Penrith! And you were all bloody poms at one point anyway.

[TomWazzleshaw]

Like that piss water they try to pass off as beer called XXXX?

Eurobrun's hit the nail on the head. We tend to distance ourselves from them Queenslanders. Hell, we'll consider offers from those Kiwis to buy Queensland and Glenmore Park from us

Oi shut up mate, part of my family is from Brisbane, better than that hole that is Penrith! And you were all bloody poms at one point anyway.

I was about to say something. But then I remembered that India was a former British colony and you would have been completely right anyway. And yes, Penrith is indeed a hole but that's a whole different story

[the Masked Lapwing]

Eurobrun's hit the nail on the head. We tend to distance ourselves from them Queenslanders. Hell, we'll consider offers from those Kiwis to buy Queensland and Glenmore Park from us

Oi shut up mate, part of my family is from Brisbane, better than that hole that is Penrith! And you were all bloody poms at one point anyway.

I was about to say something. But then I remembered that India was a former British colony and you would have been completely right anyway. And yes, Penrith is indeed a hole but that's a whole different story

But at least I can use the Dutch/Welsh/Irish excuse

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Eurobrun's hit the nail on the head. We tend to distance ourselves from them Queenslanders. Hell, we'll consider offers from those Kiwis to buy Queensland and Glenmore Park from us

Oi shut up mate, part of my family is from Brisbane, better than that hole that is Penrith! And you were all bloody poms at one point anyway.

I was about to say something. But then I remembered that India was a former British colony and you would have been completely right anyway. And yes, Penrith is indeed a hole but that's a whole different story

Can't be worse that the area that Grovey lives, that area makes the cast of Housos look upper class

[TomWazzleshaw]

Oi shut up mate, part of my family is from Brisbane, better than that hole that is Penrith! And you were all bloody poms at one point anyway.

I was about to say something. But then I remembered that India was a former British colony and you would have been completely right anyway. And yes, Penrith is indeed a hole but that's a whole different story

Can't be worse that the area that Grovey lives, that area makes the cast of Housos look upper class

That sounds like a fate worse than death.

[Ataxia]

I was about to say something. But then I remembered that India was a former British colony and you would have been completely right anyway. And yes, Penrith is indeed a hole but that's a whole different story

Can't be worse that the area that Grovey lives, that area makes the cast of Housos look upper class

That sounds like a fate worse than death.

Obviously none of you have been to Midsomer Norton (I wouldn't really expect you to have, though). It is a horrendous place, and houses many pound-shops and ketamine fiends.

If you ever go to Somerset, I would give the place a miss. I'm glad I have about 2 miles clearance of the place (at home anyway, right now I have about 100 miles clearance of it.)

[RonDenisDeletraz]

I was about to say something. But then I remembered that India was a former British colony and you would have been completely right anyway. And yes, Penrith is indeed a hole but that's a whole different story

Can't be worse that the area that Grovey lives, that area makes the cast of Housos look upper class

That sounds like a fate worse than death.

The house across the road to him got raided for drugs about a fortnight ago. Nuff said

[Londoner]

I see your offerings, and raise you Willesden. I passed through the area on a bus at the end of August, and my God it was awful. Just felt unsafe.

Anyway...

Hehehey, that was a goodun'. The intricacies of this delightful rendevous on the southern coast of Frogland more than cancelled out my car's shortcomings.

That was dreadful.

Hit the nail on the head! How about learning to qualify Laura, that way you might actually beat these bastards! Jerry mate, what a f***ing drive from him. Got his deserved points at last.

[tommykl]

Bouchon de bain de James Allen de merte de James Hunt.

[FMecha]

That's a near-miss for Kurniawan. By the way, Kurniawan is Indonesian. Not Singaporean.

[Ataxia]

That's a near-miss for Kurniawan. By the way, Kurniawan is Indonesian. Not Singaporean.

Where does it need to be changed?

[FMecha]

That's a near-miss for Kurniawan. By the way, Kurniawan is Indonesian. Not Singaporean.

Where does it need to be changed?

On the wiki.

[TomWazzleshaw]

That's a near-miss for Kurniawan. By the way, Kurniawan is Indonesian. Not Singaporean.

Where does it need to be changed?

On the wiki.

And you simply cannot fix it yourself considering how much time you spend on the wiki because?

[FMecha]

^Not at this moment, no, Wizzie.

[Ataxia]

Changes abound for 2016?
The F1RDS has come under recent scrutiny for the way the series has been run, especially after the Adelaide Petrol Scandal and the relative poor performance of the Toyota-powered teams. However, the series directors have produced a dossier of likely changes into the new season. This essentially changes the competition to a single-spec series to rid the engine troubles that have been talked about for some time.

Here is the list of proposed changes for 2016:
- 250bhp engines for all teams. May be rebadged.
- Grid extension from 13 to 17 teams.
- Introduction of pre-qualifying.
- New upgrade system to allow teams to use performance boosts.
- Wildcard teams for select races.

[FMecha]

Changes abound for 2016?
The F1RDS has come under recent scrutiny for the way the series has been run, especially after the Adelaide Petrol Scandal and the relative poor performance of the Toyota-powered teams. However, the series directors have produced a dossier of likely changes into the new season. This essentially changes the competition to a single-spec series to rid the engine troubles that have been talked about for some time.

Here is the list of proposed changes for 2016:
- 250bhp engines for all teams. May be rebadged.
- Grid extension from 13 to 17 teams.
- Introduction of pre-qualifying.
- New upgrade system to allow teams to use performance boosts.
- Wildcard teams for select races.

Uniform engine: Support.
Grid extension: Against.
Pre-qualifying: Against.
Upgrade system: Can we review it?
Wildcard: Support.

Here's Mecha GP's opinion on the proposed regulations. Furthermore, we also want from 2016 onwards, the series should have a minimum age limit of 14.

[pasta_maldonado]

Foster's Good Call Racing/Plus One wishes to kepp things how they are. We are open to the idea of guest entries but only at 3 races maximum over the whole year, and only if the entry list doesn't expand. We also see no reason to change the engine regs as we are extremely ahppy with our Opels.

[DemocalypseNow]

Definitely no pre-qualifying. This is a junior series not F1RWRS. As for the engines? We're fine with our Opels thank you very much

[Phoenix]

Even though our engines are cack, we are happy as things currently stand since it's good to have different kinds of engines. We can always change our engines next season anyway.

[Ataxia]

If everyone's going to provide opposition, then I'd like to hear some ideas that EVERYONE will like.

For me, engine selection is a bit unfair currently. Knowing what we do now the season's underway, it's apparent that the Toyota users have effectively drawn the short straw. Plus, last time seemed to benefit the European contingent as it ended up as a free-for-all. Now, another option could be the following:

- We have more engine choices, and reduce the contracts to 2 teams each.
- Everyone declares interest in whatever engine(s) they like, up to a maximum of 3 choices.
- I then draw it like Flaschenpost did in his championships.

Ideally I'd like a minimum age limit, so I'll make it 14 as per FMecha's suggestion.

[Ataxia]

Actually scratch that previous post a sec, because the perf boost system wouldn't work if we all had different engines.

Here's an idea; you get 150 points each. These can be spent on a one-race BHP increase.

A small boost costs 10 points, and you get an extra (provisionally) 2BHP to qualifying and race performance.

A medium boost costs 25 points, and you get an extra 5 BHP to qualifying and race performance.

A large boost costs 50 points, and you get an extra 10BHP to qualifying and race performance.

Before each race, you state which (if any) boost you'd like to use, and the points would be deducted from your balance. As there are 15 races, you can theoretically use a small boost every race if you want, which would be a safe option.

However, you can mix and match and choose some races to run no performance boost to save your points. You could also just buy large boosts at the first 3 races and rely for the rest of the season on the drivers' performance growth from 3 potential good results. However you spend them, it's up to you.

Each extra BHP adds 200 onto the reliability value, and as we know a higher value = higher rate of failure. Which means, that although using a large boost could blow up in your face, it could also provide you with a good reward come the end of the race. This would add a strategic element to the championship and greater interactivity for the players.

Points are refreshed at the end of the season, and you may only use one boost per race.

GRID EXPANSION

The reason I want to expand the grid is mainly for fun. It's a reject series, after all, and the days of pre-qualifying are synonymous with distinguishing a great many rejects in the past. It adds an edgy element; it encourages people to stay active and use the boost system so they don't have to feel the horrible feeling of dropping out of qualifying.

It gets more players into the game, and as various drivers in the RWRS championships retire or are booted out, there would be a greater selection of talent for all to see. And at some races, we might even have some wildcards in the mix. It would shake things up; it would add some chilli powder to the sauce to give it some kick. Not only could they provide an upset, the drivers might provide such a good account of themselves that they might even interest some team principals.

I don't care if these proposals upset the apple cart, because quite frankly it NEEDS upsetting. The teams that are currently doing well clearly provide opposition because they want to continue their reign. I counter with this, if you've taken your team to the top in a single-spec series by managing your boosts correctly then surely you've done a more commendable job than just by choosing the right engine.

At the end of the day, I want this series to be fun for EVERYONE. Whether you choose to go for the title or be the most rejectful outfit out there, you need to enjoy doing that. I think an overhaul would do that.

[AndreaModa]

I'm not a team owner, and I only have a driver who is pretty rubbish, so I don't see myself as having any vested interests in the series as it currently is. As such, my opinions aren't clouded by trying to maintain an advantage or reduce a disadvantage. My proposals are for what I view as the good of the series.

I think the fundamental thing to bear in mind with all of this is that this is a bottom-rung junior series. It's FRenault 2.0 or any equivalent basically. As a result, things like pre-qualifying, car upgrades and things like that shouldn't be implemented. The series should be about establishing drivers' talent, not which team is the best. In the same vein, I believe that it should be a spec series with one chassis and one engine, with the only differentiation being the drivers' talent (or lack of!). I do however agree that a minimum age should be brought in. 14 sounds like a good number to me.

The series needs to be kept simple and easy to follow. There are some members who have enough free time to focus on a lot of different series and still keep posting in all of them, but having started full time work, it's made me aware that for others in the same position their time is at a premium. If they're involved in the other series too, things need to be kept easy otherwise they'll loose track or just not bother at all because of the hassle. It could be the case that we've reached saturation point with different championships, and that this is one too many, but I'm not sure about that, a better judgement on that could be made at the end of the season I think.

[Nuppiz]

Well, at least Tõnu managed to make something out of it. Can't say I'm too happy about it, considering that both drivers finished worse than their qualifying positions.

(behind the scenes)
Anu, alan todella kyllästymään heikkoihin tuloksiisi. Yhtä palkintopallisijaa lukuunottamatta et ole ollut lähelläkään pisteitä muissa kisoissa. Paranna tuloksiasi, tai muuten...

I support the engine boost system, and also wildcard entries. However, the grid mustn't be expanded too much, as I don't want that too many cars are forced to miss the weekend. Or then you should employ a heat system similar to RoLFS.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

I honestly hate the idea of Pre-Qualifying in this league. For several reasons.

[DemocalypseNow]

I honestly hate the idea of Pre-Qualifying in this league. For several reasons.

What's the point of saying "for several reasons" and then not explaining them? This is exactly why people criticise you for doing nothing but inflating your post count...

[RonDenisDeletraz]

I honestly hate the idea of Pre-Qualifying in this league. For several reasons.

What's the point of saying "for several reasons" and then not explaining them? This is exactly why people criticise you for doing nothing but inflating your post count...

I get what you are saying, but it is really hard to wrote anything long on my phone that doesn't look like it has bee typed out by a monkey. But I will post my reasons later today.

[DemocalypseNow]

I honestly hate the idea of Pre-Qualifying in this league. For several reasons.

What's the point of saying "for several reasons" and then not explaining them? This is exactly why people criticise you for doing nothing but inflating your post count...

I get what you are saying, but it is really hard to wrote anything long on my phone that doesn't look like it has bee typed out by a monkey. But I will post my reasons later today.

So yeah, bumping up your post count. Why not just wait until you are at a computer then? I really don't understand the point of using a phone when you could go to a PC later in the day...

[RonDenisDeletraz]

What's the point of saying "for several reasons" and then not explaining them? This is exactly why people criticise you for doing nothing but inflating your post count...

I get what you are saying, but it is really hard to wrote anything long on my phone that doesn't look like it has bee typed out by a monkey. But I will post my reasons later today.

So yeah, bumping up your post count. Why not just wait until you are at a computer then? I really don't understand the point of using a phone when you could go to a PC later in the day...

I said that as I didn't want a decision to be made before I could have my say

[Ataxia]

I get what you are saying, but it is really hard to wrote anything long on my phone that doesn't look like it has bee typed out by a monkey. But I will post my reasons later today.

So yeah, bumping up your post count. Why not just wait until you are at a computer then? I really don't understand the point of using a phone when you could go to a PC later in the day...

I said that as I didn't want a decision to be made before I could have my say

It won't...especially as the idea went down like a lead balloon tied to a brick.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Among other things, I thought that PQ for this was unrealistic. And RBRWT would be one of the teams more likely to lose out

[Ataxia]

Right, then pre-qualifying and entry list expansion are pretty much out of the question then.

However, I want this to be single-spec so the main difference is the driver skill. I do want to use the boost system as well, because it allows everyone to select a different strategy and provides a bit of customisation. I'd set deadlines for boosts, and then post a list before the race so people can easily see what the other teams have done.

If we're talking about simplicity, then I think this would be the way forward. I'd allow a wildcard entry in every now and then too.

[the Masked Lapwing]

I'm all for a single-spec series (obviously ), and the boost system sounds like a potentially good idea.

[AdrianSutil]

As AndreaModa pointed out, this is probably the lowest feeder series so car upgrades should be scrapped. A one-spec series would be the best idea. As for our engine this year, we chose it hoping our drivers wouldn't be falling through the field during the race as much as they have. But we'll stick with it anyway. One thing it is showing though, is Butler is destroying Frankham!

[Ataxia]

As AndreaModa pointed out, this is probably the lowest feeder series so car upgrades should be scrapped. A one-spec series would be the best idea. As for our engine this year, we chose it hoping our drivers wouldn't be falling through the field during the race as much as they have. But we'll stick with it anyway. One thing it is showing though, is Butler is destroying Frankham!

Technically, there aren't really any 'upgrades' per se. Boosts would only work for one race.

[Ataxia]

Top 6 Championship Standings

Drivers
1. Pacer - 49
2. Kwol-Cho - 31
3. Shukinen - 29
4. Pykälistö - 28
5. Einhrin - 24
6. Silva - 18

Teams
1. Foster's Good Call Racing - 66
2. Autobahn Grand Prix - 53
3. V-Sport - 48
4. Nurminen Racing Engineering - 42
5. Scuderia Alitalia - 28
6. Kingfisher Racing - 25

[TomWazzleshaw]

Why on earth is Douglas so damn slow, especially after he was the runner-up in the Winter Cup?