planetf1.com

With a full grid I mean 13 teams, 26 cars competing. I cannot remember when we had a grid with more than 24 cars any more. Must have been somewhere in the early or mid nineties. With all the limitations and proposed budget caps, almost no in season testing etc are still no guarantee for the smaller teams to survive. USF1 never made it, HRT is after many struggles backing out too. Caterham and Marussia's progress goes at a slow rate. The selection procedure of the FIA back in 2009 was pretty flawed I guess. Caterham (Lotus back than) was first not selected but because Toyota backed out they were guaranteed a place and were so far the best of the new 3. All of the new 3 teams changed names and owners (in case of HRT) (Manor->Virgin->Marussia) (Meta-Campos->HRT) (Lotus->Caterham). Bullet proof reliabilty of the competition hasn't helped the case of these teams either.

So if we can have 2 new teams for let's say 2014 or 2015, what do you think could help them to stay afloat? I think FIA has to put clear rules for entering the sport, maybe not changing rules too drastically and too often. And they defintely need an honest slection procedure. Not expecting the teams to run Cosworth engines for example.

Any other opinions?

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F1 fan since 1989

It's not going to be easy for any more than the current number of teams to come in and survive. Fundamental mathematics poses a problem. The more teams there are, the more competition there is - and one team (or more) is always going to lose out. Formula One provides money to teams depending on how successful they have been during the year and for a lower team their spending surely outweighs that small (relative) income. Even if Caterham or Murussia next year (Or Team X/Y/Z in years to come) jumps up into the midfield or higher, it leaves another team at the bottom. Now that team is in the difficulty the previous team was in.

Unfortunately Formula One success doesn't revolve around on a pendulum. The top teams usually stay there or thereabouts for a decade at least and that's far too long for the smaller teams to afford to wait around for their chance.

It'd be good to see teams come into the sport and stay for an extended period of time, but the nature of the business means that it rarely happens. Those at the top reap the rewards and those at the bottom suffer the costs. Whatever the competition, there will always be one or more losers - and when losing means tens of millions of dollars, nobody can lose for too long.

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I also have one of these.

When you get to the older tracks, like Monaco, there is plain no room for them.
There have been suggestions of multi-class running as in other classes, but I'm not in favour of this either.

Ferrari in particular have asked to run more cars, which while not ideal, seems to me to be the best option if new teams cant be brought in. Red Bull are in effect doing it anyway. I suppose what used to be the Ferrari test team would be capable of putting a car with enough difference to the main team, as would some of the other teams, but again, they have to be garaged somewhere as well as administrated.

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I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.

Marx (Groucho)

Customer cars, not what was proposed but last years model from previous teams with mods for reg purposes, saves costly initial outlay and can develop how they wish, on a similar note they want it more affordable for teams to enter yet are increasing fees for teams..... Go figure

To maintain a full grid in F1 reduce the grid size to 22.