An Alternative Formula One

An Alternative Formula One

Sir,

As one who started watching motor racing in the early 1920s, I was most interested in D. S. J.’s article concerning the Nurburgring. This made me think how things have altered in the road racing sphere, particularly since the last World War. Besides being a sport, I have always considered that motor racing was a major factor in the development of the motor cars which we use in ordinary life. Undoubtedly this was so when road races were, literally, road races, and not run on disused aerodromes or on specially built tracks which were neither roads nor real tracks, in the sense that Brooklands and Montlhery were. The modern system seems to be designed to get the unskilled driver out of trouble which he has made for himself.

Secondly, the “cars”, or are they merely mobile petrol tanks, or outsize go-karts running on rollers rather than on wheels? contribute little or nothing to the design of current automobiles. I suggest that a complete turnaround should be considered. What about the World Championship only going to winners of races on real road circuits? The way to lessen the danger and make the lessons learnt more useful is, I suggest, to have Formula One, 1,500-c.c., engines, unsupercharged, running on wheels which are fitted with tyres of sizes which are used on current production cars. No lying prone in the car, so that the driver would sit up, as he would in an ordinary car. All machinery to be properly covered by the body work, and, in view of the obvious shortage of fuels, a petrol allowance of, say 20 m.p.g., and the length of the race to heat least 500 miles.

This would have many beneficial effects. It would encourage the use of truly more efficient engines, not merely pouring more fuel through, as is done today. It would develop the size of engine most commonly used and also the tyres in everyday use. No aerofoil devices to be used until such things are also in everyday use. It would also have the added advantage of drastically reducing the cost of racing cars.

Cheltenham. R. S. Peacey.

PS – What about using alcohol fuel, as we did before? We can grow that or make it from waste!