Pirelli backs artificial wet races

**Fiondella** · 3rd March 2011, 14:18

What about an egg and spoon race half way through where each driver has to hold out a wooden spoon with an egg on it whilst gently caressing the car around the circuit for one full lap and if the egg is dropped then he gets a penaltly or has to start again. I'm sure Lewis would love the idea!

**raylinds** · 3rd March 2011, 14:19

Of course Pirelli likes the idea- they can't make tires that last on dry pavement.

**impactX** · 3rd March 2011, 15:01

I think they should just install sprinklers on the cars and the switches will be controlled by rival teams.

**Tiz** · 3rd March 2011, 16:24

Stupid idea. When it rains naturally the sky usually goes darker and - normally - the sun does not shine. Just imagine driving at F1 speed in combined rain/sun with the track glaring with light, probably only in certain parts. Recipe for disater - and if anyone got killed or seriously injured by act of Bernie rather than act of God I hope any court would disabuse Bernie of the idea that he can have God's privilege of not being liable.

Also, who decides how much water is to flow, tropical rainstorm or light drizzle, are ther to be parts of the track where a surface rivulet is to cross it as once in Brazil?

Bernie should think things out BEFORE he opens his mouth.

Shame on Pirelli, too, for backing this idea. They're only thinking of their profits and their advertising not the good of the sport.

**Ken** · 3rd March 2011, 16:47

Sounds more like hes been racing on Xbox or PS3 game

**MRRabbit** · 3rd March 2011, 17:45

That must be one of the most retarded ideas ever lol ...

**racingbradley** · 3rd March 2011, 17:54

Now I have heard it all. I know people who are no longer interested in F1 due to rules reducing engine size etc.

This is the last straw artificial F1, might as well scrap all teams and drivers and just downsize to computer games.

Now wouldn’t that be exciting for a Sunday afternoon.

**Alessandra** · 3rd March 2011, 18:15

I wonder sometimes if Mr Ecclestone, feeling the hand of time on his collar, isn't determined to destroy F1, the sport he's done so much to build, so that no-one else can inherit it.
A truly appalling idea and an insult to all its participants and fans.

"This is F1, not Cirque du Soleil" - F. Alonso.

**Alessandra** · 3rd March 2011, 18:15

I wonder sometimes if Mr Ecclestone, feeling the hand of time on his collar, isn't determined to destroy F1, the sport he's done so much to build, so that no-one else can inherit it.
A truly appalling idea and an insult to all its participants and fans.

"This is F1, not Cirque du Soleil" - F. Alonso.

**Diki** · 3rd March 2011, 19:37

Its crazy idea to be honest,I don't like it...

**Afalej** · 4th March 2011, 12:05

It's actually the dumbest idea ever, If they allow that to happen it will be a disaster

**Fiondella** · 4th March 2011, 12:17

Seriously though, what about an F1 race on an iced-up lake. GP on Ice followed by swan lake on ice. Bernie could offer a 2 for 1 deal for the event. Bonus would be a second British GP if lake windermere could be frozen for the occasion

**racingbradley** · 4th March 2011, 13:21

Hmmm he probably hasn't thought of that one yet

-----that's how ridiculous it's getting.
Not a word to him.

**ruud king** · 4th March 2011, 13:40

Once i ate a artificial egg, that tasted like (something a dog leaves behind)

......bad idea Bernie.....

**steelstallions** · 6th March 2011, 10:01

http://www.statesman.com/sports/f1-b...u-1298726.html

On Tuesday, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone floated an idea for making F1 races more exciting use artificial rain to make the tracks slippery.

Such a ploy might break up the too-frequent F1 "parades" where there is very little passing during races, but the idea has drawn more criticism than support.

Ecclestone, however, appears to have found an ally in U.S. Grand Prix promoter Tavo Hellmund, who in a statement Friday called Ecclestone's idea "brilliant" and outlined why he supports it:

• It wouldn't hurt ticket sales, as it could be done even on sunny days.

• Racing on a wet track would be spectacular and add a compelling element for fans.

• True talent always shines in the wet.

Teams with smaller budgets should rejoice because rain is racing's ultimate equalizer .

Hellmund said he is in a perfect position to create an artificial rain effect because construction is in the beginning stages at the track southeast of Austin.

There may be no need, however, for fake rain to send cars spinning and sliding at Hellmund's Grand Prix, as Austin gets plenty of the real deal around the likely date for the race. The official date for the inaugural 2012 race will not be released until late this year, but there is speculation it could be paired with the Grand Prix in Montreal, which falls in June.

According to weather.com, the average June rainfall in Austin is 3.81 inches , and June trails only May (5.03 inches) and October (3.97 inches) in precipitation.

Potential flooding of the track and surrounding roads is an issue likely to be raised at a meeting on Tuesday between F1 promoters and Elroy residents.

"You'd be hard-pressed to see it right now, but when it floods, it looks like Galveston Bay," said Cathy Olive, president of the Elroy Preservation Association, a group originally formed as a reaction to a housing development planned for Wandering Creek.

"We were 101 percent against the houses," Olive said.

That's not the case with the U.S. Grand Prix, which is slated to begin in 2012 and run through at least 2021.

"Our membership is all over the place," Olive said. "Some of them love it. Some of them hate it ... Nobody knows what it's going to do to your life."

Olive said other concerns for Elroy residents include the potential noise and traffic bottlenecks on the two-lane roads. She added that the last meeting with developers was in late September and that this meeting should be well attended by Elroy's standards.

"For 40 people to get together, that's like a world event," Olive said.

Still not convinced on this, unless of course another team is leading and they wet the track just as we are about to make a pit stop and can change to intermediate tyres before anybody