F1 at night

[Craig.]

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=38489
Its about time, although I would prefer this being done on a street course. Gives a much better scene really.

[Chris_F]

Very cool.  That'll make for some spectacular visuals.  I'd bet those cars burp all sorts of flames that go unseen during the day.  And brake disk glow is going to be spectacular.

[BMan1113VR]

what would an f1 car with lights look like?

I am assuming that floodlighting (the circut has lights instead of the cars) wouldn't be used in the extremly long tracks that f1 has (compared to nascar). Also wouldn't the driver have visual problems with the changes in floodlighting?

[Mushroom_Farmer]

I gotta tell ya, I've done open wheel at night in much slower cars and my eyeballs didn't want to stay focused on the pavement. At that low of a height it takes some getting used to. Everthing seems to go by so much faster. My hat's off to the IRL, LeMans and other drivers who manage to keep on the pavement.
F-1 at night would just about be the pinnacle of anything else in motorsports.

[Chris_F]

I gotta tell ya, I've done open wheel at night in much slower cars and my eyeballs didn't want to stay focused on the pavement. At that low of a height it takes some getting used to. Everthing seems to go by so much faster. My hat's off to the IRL, LeMans and other drivers who manage to keep on the pavement.
F-1 at night would just about be the pinnacle of anything else in motorsports.

Yeah, I'd assume the lighting would have to be very even across the entire track.  Drivers have a hard enough time with the tunnel at Monaco.

[BMan1113VR]

I gotta tell ya, I've done open wheel at night in much slower cars and my eyeballs didn't want to stay focused on the pavement. At that low of a height it takes some getting used to. Everthing seems to go by so much faster. My hat's off to the IRL, LeMans and other drivers who manage to keep on the pavement.
F-1 at night would just about be the pinnacle of anything else in motorsports.

Yeah, I'd assume the lighting would have to be very even across the entire track.

[Craig.]

I gotta tell ya, I've done open wheel at night in much slower cars and my eyeballs didn't want to stay focused on the pavement. At that low of a height it takes some getting used to. Everthing seems to go by so much faster. My hat's off to the IRL, LeMans and other drivers who manage to keep on the pavement.
F-1 at night would just about be the pinnacle of anything else in motorsports.

Yeah, I'd assume the lighting would have to be very even across the entire track.

[DizZa]

F1 at night would be awsome! I think it would also be a nice idea if they chucked headlights on them too. Or better yet, a 24 hour race in F1 cars!

However, I still think Le Mans at night would be nicer than F1 cars as F1 seems like racing giant Go Karts to me.

Something seems sexy about an Audi R10 zooming at 400km/h, ESPECIALLY as you CANNOT hear them coming.  :D

[MWISimmer]

Or better yet, a 24 hour race in F1 cars!

No chance I'm afraid, F1 engines are designed to last a MAXIMUM of 2 hours. Most manufacturers on the grid had some sort of engine failure last year... and that was within 1-2 hours.. also there's the issue of car setup, seat fittings (they'd have to change drivers on numerous occasions) driver height and weight, ballast etc.. I could go on.

Nice idea but a non starter.
Rob.

[Mushroom_Farmer]

Or better yet, a 24 hour race in F1 cars!

No chance I'm afraid, F1 engines are designed to last a MAXIMUM of 2 hours. Most manufacturers on the grid had some sort of engine failure last year... and that was within 1-2 hours.. also there's the issue of car setup, seat fittings (they'd have to change drivers on numerous occasions) driver height and weight, ballast etc.. I could go on.

Nice idea but a non starter.
Rob.

Don't they still have a rule that the engine has to last 2 or 3 races now, or was that repealed? I didn't watch F-1 at all last year since we have no decent coverage.

[Chris_F]

An F1 endurance race would also be very out of character for the sport.  F1 has alwasy been a sprint race type format (if you consider 2 hours to be a sprint ).  A 12 or 24 hour race wouldn't be F1-like.  That's what sports car racing is all about.

[MWISimmer]

Sorry Mushroom farmer, let me correct myself...  What I meant by that comment was they're made to last 2 hours at maximum operating speeds and temperatures... not as a whole, and yes, they still have to last 2 races.

Rob.  :)

[DizZa]

Or better yet, a 24 hour race in F1 cars!

No chance I'm afraid, F1 engines are designed to last a MAXIMUM of 2 hours. Most manufacturers on the grid had some sort of engine failure last year... and that was within 1-2 hours.. also there's the issue of car setup, seat fittings (they'd have to change drivers on numerous occasions) driver height and weight, ballast etc.. I could go on.

Nice idea but a non starter.
Rob.

That's the point. Make it harder lol.

[The Ruptured Duck]

Yeah, night racing is cool.  Champ Car made the first big leap for road circuits back when they ran Cleveland at night.  (which by the way was an awsome race).  The lights make the cars really shine!  

F-1 would be even cooler at night, and a monaco night race would give me a hard on.

Personally I think if  theres gonna be a night race it should be in Las Vegas, on the strip!

[MWISimmer]

F-1 would be even cooler at night, and a monaco night race would give me a hard on.

Just slightly TOO much information there....