Everyone accuses Formula One of being boring, and that they would only watch it for the crashes (philistines).To satisfy the demand of the people for more crashing, I propose that a one off race be run in icy conditions, with the possibility of an expansion to a full race series if popular.The cars of choice for this series would be Formula One cars from about the early eighties to the late nineties, a time before traction control, and with some of the highest horsepower figures ever reached by Formula One engines. I am undecided whether ground effects cars such as some of the more legendary Lotuses should be allowed.Races will be ten or fewer laps, to account for the potentially high attrition rate.-- kaz, Jan 05 2010 Ice Races http://www.icerace.com/ [xandram, Jan 05 2010] Red Bull F1 on ice http://www.formula1...other/2010/468.htmlTa da! [kaz, Jan 25 2010] Ever wondered why so many F1 drivers are Finns?-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Jan 05 2010 Because the Finnish instill a high degree of competence in their drivers by subjecting them to about three years of driving lessons, whilst at the same time having a large amount of "grassroots" motorsport?Also, I can only think of two Finns currently racing in F1.-- kaz, Jan 05 2010 Ice Racing is very baked. [see link]-- xandram, Jan 05 2010 I know ice racing is very baked, typically however ice racing cars are not eight hundred horsepower, rear wheel drive monsters, running on slicks, designed to run at excessively high speeds.(Although the "Menard" class mentioned on that website does sound quite fun).-- kaz, Jan 05 2010 simple reason for that is that they would never even move, much less make their way around a track.
It's the equivalent of trying to make french fries in boiling water.-- WcW, Jan 05 2010 I dunno, they may eventually wheelspin their way forwards, then all you've got to do is try and steer. I'm guessing nobody finds the mental image of this half as amusing as me though.-- kaz, Jan 05 2010 I can just imagine all the cars simply sitting at the start line polishing mirrors in the surface. Then I am reminded of the CLASS B rally cars of old with unlimited HP and unlimited studding and I just don't think that anyone wants to go there again. Give them traction and the whole thing is dangerous and expensive, take away the traction and the thing is a joke, F1 cars are designed to the razors edge between boring and deadly. (as you pointed out in the preface).-- WcW, Jan 05 2010 If development of new KIND of wheels and tires are going to be the result of it, and it will save sufficiently many lives winters, then why not.-- Inyuki, Jan 05 2010 [WcW] It won't be dangerous, nobody has died in F1 for quite a while now.-- kaz, Jan 05 2010 Pardon the blatant ignorance on my part, but who is Bernie?-- ShaneSezWhat, Jan 05 2010 //but who is Bernie// Ecclestone.-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Jan 06 2010 As a Finn I know by experience that too much power is useless and dangerous in icy roads.
On the other hand controlled wheelspin was fun on the roads. Using a handbrake to make an U-turn and simultaneously park my Nissan between two cars on the other side of the street was something I can not repeat that easy.
Reason for so many good Finnish drivers on F1 and Rally may lie in the challenging road conditions and high amount of gravel roads in Finland.
Ice races are very much a reality in Finland. Studded tyres add grip and with those the wheelspin is minimal.-- Pellepeloton, Jan 06 2010 Yep, I went on holiday there when I was 14 - fantastic roads once you get off the main drag - gravel/sand with a good camber and a large enough drop off the side to keep you focused on the straight and narrow.
Do they still drive buses over the harbour in Helsinki during the winter?-- gnomethang, Jan 06 2010 I DID find a utube video of an f1 car making a lap on packed snow. I retract my "this is impossible" and replace it with "this is dull".-- WcW, Jan 25 2010 random, halfbakery