F1 1984+

[BioBiro]

Osella might as well at least try to get the full manufacturer support from Alfa Romeo next season. Keep in mind that unlike Minardi we have scored a point

And so is Ligier because.... well... nevermind

Pfff~~~; you guys wish.

^

After severe reluctance, Alfa Romeo will carry on.

Then again, if you're (Osella and Minardi only, sorry Ligier ) really that interested in being an Alfa-supported team, that gives me an idea~ for 1985...

An evil idea~...

[BioBiro]

D&T after Round 15
This is it~!


Ferrari

Code: Select all

Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,740,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,800,000.

Brabham

Code: Select all

Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £440,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £480,000.

Williams

Code: Select all

Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,200,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,240,000.

McLaren

Code: Select all

Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,040,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,080,000.

Tyrrell

Code: Select all

Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,000,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,040,000.

RAM

Code: Select all

Downforce increase of 9% (Downforce = 26% > Downforce = 35%). D&T cost was £440,000.

Minardi

Code: Select all

Driver shootout. D&T cost was £600,000.
Team entry size expanded (One-car > Two-cars). D&T cost was £620,000.

In addition, a new D&T opportunity has been added. The information below is also available below the calendar, at the start of the thread:

Team contraction - from three cars to two cars, or from two cars to one car
If you wish to reduce the size of your entry, use this D&T opportunity to do so. The cost of the D&T opportunity is waived entirely, offering no timing advantage or disadvantage. You will be credited an amount composited from the value of your current car; the surplus car and its running gear is auctioned and/or liquidated off. For reference, below are two examples of the estimated income a team would be provided with, upon contracting the size of their team:

• Chassis specification of 20% Downforce, 80% Drag, 20% Mechanical Grip, 590kg Weight (significantly overweight), 20% Reliability = credit of £810,000.
• Chassis specification of 80% Downforce, 20% Drag, 80% Mechanical Grip, 540kg Weight (minimum legal weight), 80% Reliability = credit of £3,260,000.

Contracting your team will never result in a team losing money on the deal, regardless of how poor or outdated your current car may be.


Thank you to Aislabie for spotting the necessity of this missing functionality, and TheFlyingCaterham for improving it!

[BioBiro]

Minardi Miscellany
Mid-week, and the Minardi team has their coffee machine fired-up at Fiorino. Six budding young-ish~ drivers; only ten competitive laps each, due to Minardi having just the single car on track, and everyone wanting to get home to watch NASCAR at North Wilkesboro on TV.

Driver Shootout Results:
1. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) 01:15.615 (Lap 2)
2. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.107 (Lap 6)
3. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.137 (Lap 1)
4. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.183 (Lap 8)
5. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.198 (Lap 4)
6. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.243 (Lap 9)
7. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.319 (Lap 10)
8. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.365 (Lap 9)
9. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.395 (Lap 7)
10. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.562 (Lap 8)
11. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.593 (Lap 5)
12. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.623 (Lap 4)
13. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.684 (Lap 8)
14. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.699 (Lap 1)
15. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.699 (Lap 10)
16. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.821 (Lap 5)
17. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.851 (Lap 8)
18. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.866 (Lap 1)
19. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.972 (Lap 3)
20. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +0.988 (Lap 3)
21. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.109 (Lap 6)
22. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.170 (Lap 4)
23. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.215 (Lap 6)
24. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.276 (Lap 7)
25. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.291 (Lap 3)
26. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.300 (Lap 9)
27. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.480 (Lap 2)
28. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.504 (Lap 7)
29. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.534 (Lap 8)
30. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.550 (Lap 2)
31. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.580 (Lap 6)
32. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.610 (Lap 6)
33. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.656 (Lap 8)
34. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.717 (Lap 9)
35. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.747 (Lap 1)
36. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.823 (Lap 9)
37. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.853 (Lap 5)
38. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.853 (Lap 6)
39. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.884 (Lap 4)
40. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +01.975 (Lap 3)
41. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.157 (Lap 5)
42. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.200 (Lap 1)
43. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.339 (Lap 1)
44. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.461 (Lap 10)
45. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.500 (Lap 3)
46. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.506 (Lap 2)
47. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.510 (Lap 4)
48. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.537 (Lap 7)
49. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.780 (Lap 2)
50. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.825 (Lap 7)
51. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.871 (Lap 10)
52. Emanuele Pirro - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.871 (Lap 5)
53. Beppe Gabbiani - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +02.916 (Lap 10)
54. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.840 (Lap 5)
55. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.129 (Lap 2)
56. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.160 (Lap 4)
57. Fulvio Ballabio - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.220 (Lap 9)
58. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.281 (Lap 3)
59. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.296 (Lap 7)
60. Aldo Bertuzzi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +03.327 (Lap 10)


There were a few spins and mistakes, but everyone was allowed to do a full set of quick laps. Ballabio nearly crashed after his second lap, in fact.


I have been asked to sign the quickest driver to the Minardi team, as their second driver; such a level of involvement in a participating team has not been levelled on me, before.

My opinion is that Andrea de Cesaris is the quickest driver in the shootout. He he~...

Alright, down to business. I am of the opinion that Corrado Fabi would be considered the second quickest driver in these test session results. My justification for this is:

• He set the second-quickest lap.
• His appearance-frequency in the top ten is higher than anyone else's.
• He is the least-slowest of all the drivers (his slowest lap is faster than any other driver's slowest lap).

The Minardi team have been debited Fabi's income, minus the races already taken place this season (a total of £36,875). They have been charged (25% extra) for additional engines on their supply contract, minus the races already taken place this season (a total of £57,812.50, payable immediately). Due to the lateness of their entry, their second car is not eligible for points in the sole remaining race of this season.

[BioBiro]

Round 16 - Portuguese Grand Prix, Estoril, 21st October 1984

Qualifying Results:
As a gesture of good faith, the circuit organizers and the FIA have agreed to allow thirty cars - over the usual twenty-six - to start the final race of the season.

Piquet stamped his dominance one final time on a year that gave him his third championship, by taking pole position with a margin of six-tenths of a second. Martini started a brilliant second, while team-mate Wilson ensured both Alfas would be in the top six; an excellent qualifying performance to round-out a solid year from the Italian marque. Cheever showed us that he was still a big name for a potential contract with a top team, come next year. The Ferraris were stuck in the middle of the pack again, although there were a few stand-out performances in the mid-grid; veterans, Rosberg and Watson, were outqualifying both their younger team-mates and their under-developed cars, and the difference in ability between Manfred Winkelhock and Chico Serra has probably never been illustrated in a clearer manner than today. Minardi were running a two-car team for the first time, and although Corrado Fabi was not eligible for points - and rather exhausted from a ten-hour flight from California - he was nearly a second quicker than mainstay de Cesaris. Finally, for the first time this season, a RAM car will take part in tommorow's Grand Prix.




1. Nelson Piquet - McLaren-Honda (Michelin) 01:21.597
2. Pierluigi Martini - Alfa Romeo (Goodyear) +0.689
3. Riccardo Patrese - Brabham-Renault (Michelin) +0.804
4. Eddie Cheever - Tyrrell-Renault (Goodyear) +01.223
5. René Arnoux - McLaren-Honda (Michelin) +01.276
6. Desiré Wilson - Alfa Romeo (Goodyear) +01.335
7. Elio de Angelis - Ferrari (Michelin) +01.800
8. Derek Warwick - Tyrrell-Renault (Goodyear) +01.870
9. Martin Brundle - Lotus-Renault (Goodyear) +01.957
10. Patrick Tambay - Brabham-Renault (Michelin) +02.481
11. Alain Prost - Ferrari (Michelin) +02.604
12. Nigel Mansell - Lotus-Renault (Goodyear) +02.709
13. Keke Rosberg - Arrows-BMW (Pirelli) +03.184
14. John Watson - ATS-BMW (Goodyear) +03.331
15. Thierry Boutsen - Toleman-Ford (Goodyear) +03.373
16. Manfred Winkelhock - Ligier-BMW (Pirelli) +03.446
17. Michele Alboreto - Renault (Michelin) +03.580
18. Didier Pironi - Ferrari (Michelin) +03.600
19. Alan Jones - Toleman-Ford (Goodyear) +03.809
20. Stefan Johansson - ATS-BMW (Goodyear) +03.960
21. Steffan Bellof - Williams-Porsche (Goodyear) +03.970
22. Mauro Baldi - Osella-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +04.236
23. Ayrton Senna - Williams-Porsche (Goodyear) +04.302
24. Niki Lauda - Renault (Michelin) +05.382
25. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +05.536
26. Piercarlo Ghinzani - Osella-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +05.920
27. Roberto Guerrero - RAM-Ford (Pirelli) +06.186
28. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +06.305
29. Alessandro Nannini - Arrows-BMW (Pirelli) +06.399
30. Chico Serra - Ligier-BMW (Pirelli) +06.486
DNQ. Philippe Streiff - Spirit-Ford (Pirelli) +06.822
DNQ. Guido Daccò - RAM-Ford (Pirelli) +06.902

Race Results:
Arnoux could surely not have predicted every car ahead of him would drop-out, and clear a path for him to win the last race of the season.

By the time Piquet's engine blew, Patrese had passed Martini's Alfa, only to make a complete biscuit of himself and smash into the wall at the Esses. Martini led for several laps, with the ocassional wobble after the Alfa team hung out a 'P1' board for him. His V8 turbo soon went in up smoke, though, and Cheever couldn't believe his luck. But it was not to be. The Tyrrell quickly fell to bits, and then ended-up in even more pieces when Cheever bashed the hell out of it as he parked it at the bottom of the start-finish line.

The virtually infallible McLaren led home what was something of a conselation prize for the Alfa Romeo team, with Wilson finishing an excellent second place and picking up six more points. Of the other finishers, Watson and Boutsen had a good old ding-dong, and the Belgian received a masterclass in defensive driving from the Ulsterman; former champion Rosberg, though, developed a persistent understeer as the race progressed, and slipped behind the ATS and Toleman. Roberto Guerrero - the last runner on the track - spun out of eleventh place at the Curva VIP two laps before the checkered flag, likely due to an issue with his brakes, rather than human error.



1. René Arnoux - McLaren-Honda (Michelin) 1hr 53:13.913
2. Desiré Wilson - Alfa Romeo (Goodyear) +0:30.545
3. Elio de Angelis - Ferrari (Michelin) +01:11.880
4. Alain Prost - Ferrari (Michelin) +01:18.610
5. Steffan Bellof - Williams-Porsche (Goodyear) +02:16.654
6. John Watson - ATS-BMW (Goodyear) +02:57.739
7. Thierry Boutsen - Toleman-Ford (Goodyear) +03:42.634
8. Keke Rosberg - Arrows-BMW (Pirelli) +04:07.530
9. Manfred Winkelhock - Ligier-BMW (Pirelli) +04:15.504
10. Piercarlo Ghinzani - Osella-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) +04:16.215
Ret. Roberto Guerrero - RAM-Ford (Pirelli) - Accident
Ret. Mauro Baldi - Osella-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) - Turbo
Ret. Stefan Johansson - ATS-BMW (Goodyear) - Electrical
Ret. Chico Serra - Ligier-BMW (Pirelli) - Engine
Ret. Alessandro Nannini - Arrows-BMW (Pirelli) - Spun-off
Ret. Alan Jones - Toleman-Ford (Goodyear) - Engine
Ret. Derek Warwick - Tyrrell-Renault (Goodyear) - Gearbox
Ret. Nigel Mansell - Lotus-Renault (Goodyear) - Engine
Ret. Andrea de Cesaris - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) - Engine
Ret. Eddie Cheever - Tyrrell-Renault (Goodyear) - Driveshaft
Ret. Pierluigi Martini - Alfa Romeo (Goodyear) - Engine
Ret. Ayrton Senna - Williams-Porsche (Goodyear) - Distributor
Ret. Riccardo Patrese - Brabham-Renault (Michelin) - Accident
Ret. Patrick Tambay - Brabham-Renault (Michelin) - Spun-off
Ret. Nelson Piquet - McLaren-Honda (Michelin) - Turbo
Ret. Michele Alboreto - Renault (Michelin) - Oil pressure
Ret. Niki Lauda - Renault (Michelin) - Engine
Ret. Didier Pironi - Ferrari (Michelin) - Engine
Ret. Martin Brundle - Lotus-Renault (Goodyear) - Turbo
Ret. Corrado Fabi - Minardi-Alfa Romeo (Pirelli) - Wheel


Championship Standings:
Driver's Championship
1. Nelson Piquet (70 points)
2. René Arnoux (67 points)
3. Nigel Mansell (42 points)
4. Patrick Tambay (36 points)
5. Alain Prost (26 points)
6. Eddie Cheever (24 points)
7. Ricardo Patrese (23 points)
8. Desiré Wilson (23 points)
9. Elio de Angelis (19 points)
10. Martin Brundle (16 points)
11. Derek Warwick (10 points)
12. Stefan Johansson (7 points)
13. Steffan Bellof (7 points)
14. Pierluigi Martini (5 points)
15. John Watson (5 points)
16. Michele Alboreto (4 points)
17. Niki Lauda (4 points)
18. Alessandro Nannini (3 points)
19. Ayrton Senna (3 points)
20. Didier Pironi (1.5 points)
21. Piercarlo Ghinzani (1 point)
22. Thierry Boutsen (1 point)
23. Keke Rosberg (1 point)

Constructor's Championship
1. McLaren (137 points)
2. Brabham (59 points)
3. Lotus (58 points)
4. Ferrari (46.5 points)
5. Tyrrell (34 points)
6. Alfa Romeo (28 points)
7. ATS (12 points)
8. Williams (10 points)
9. Renault (8 points)
10. Arrows (4 points)
11. Osella (1 point)
12. Toleman (1 point)


There are 10 D&T opportunities in the winter off-season, before the opening race of the 1985 season.


Tip: If you wish to increase or decrease the size of your team (one, two or three-car entries are all legal) in time for the first race of next season, this is the time to do so.

[BioBiro]

FOCA TV Money Distribution - Fourth Quarter
It's been a great season of Formula One~! Thank you to every~ one of you - past and present - for taking part!

Ferrari have been credited £1,860,000
McLaren have been credited £1,640,000
Williams have been credited £1,400,000
ATS have been credited £1,250,000
Arrows have been credited £1,200,000
Lotus have been credited £1,180,000
Toleman have been credited £1,160,000
Tyrrell have been credited £1,020,000
Ligier have been credited £1,010,000
Brabham have been credited £960,000
Alfa Romeo have been credited £890,000
Osella have been credited £880,000
Renault have been credited £700,000
Spirit have been credited £470,000
RAM have been credited £280,000
Minardi have been credited £160,000


Alright, now, everyone hang tight; I'll need your winter off-season D&T requests, and after that I've got some questions on how this virtual series should be run, and improvements that can be made, before we transition into 1985.

[Aislabie]

Two D&T opportunities on next year's car for Minardi please; we'll skip the other eight in order to have a bit more spending money when 1985 rolls around.

And thank you for signing Fabi for me; he is exactly the driver I wanted. Hopefully both he and de Cesaris will stay with us for next year.

[Collieafc]

As many D&T tokens on next years car that WIlliams can afford without going into negative please

[Nessafox]

2 D&T on next years car, please.

And wow, we finished a race...

[RedEyes504]

As many upgades as we can without going bankrupt onto next seasons car.

[FantometteBR]

McLaren wants at least 3 next year's car upgrades

[BioBiro]

McLaren wants at least 3 next year's car upgrades

Well~, you can have as many as you want - the only restriction is your balance, of course!

Currently, you have £3.1~mil available, and your next D&T cost (which increases each time) is £1.1~mil.

[TheFlyingCaterham]

In addition, a new D&T opportunity has been added. The information below is also available below the calendar, at the start of the thread:

Team contraction - from three cars to two cars, or from two cars to one car
If you wish to reduce the size of your entry, use this D&T opportunity to do so. You will be refunded twice the cost of the D&T opportunity for doing so; for example, taking this D&T opportunity at a D&T cost of £400,000 will net you £800,000. The income is from the liquidation of the surplus car, parts and associated running gear.


Thank you to Aislabie for spotting the necessity of this missing functionality.

Whilst I agree with the implementation of this, I don't think you've added it correctly. It's too easily exploitable. I could, for example, use a couple of my D&T opportunities now to contract my team, thus gaining myself $1,360,000, and then expand it again for $700,000. I think you can see where I am going from here.

As I don't particularly want to exploit this as I want to play fair (even though technically you wouldn't be cheating by using this loophole), I'll use two D&Ts on the 1985 car instead.

[novitopoli]

Two tokens on next year's car.

[DemocalypseNow]

Ferrari will spend 5 D&T tokens on the 1985 car.

[Ice1Racing]

All 10 available D&T's on next years car please

[BioBiro]

Whilst I agree with the implementation of this, I don't think you've added it correctly. It's too easily exploitable. I could, for example, use a couple of my D&T opportunities now to contract my team, thus gaining myself $1,360,000, and then expand it again for $700,000. I think you can see where I am going from here.

...

Very, very, good point. Thank you for noticing that, and for your gentlemanly behavior on the matter.

After filling-out a spreadsheet with ideas and formulas to try and find a fair way of doing this, I have instead settled on the fairest implementation I could come up with.

Contracting the size of your team will waive the D&T cost altogether, and you will be refunded an amount that is a composite of the value of your current car, based on it's performance attributes. I have altered my post above, and the post at the start of the thread beneath the calendar, to reflect this.

[FantometteBR]

McLaren wants at least 3 next year's car upgrades

Well~, you can have as many as you want - the only restriction is your balance, of course!

Currently, you have £3.1~mil available, and your next D&T cost (which increases each time) is £1.1~mil.

1.1 each or all together?

If 1.1 each will cut to just two or one D&Ts

[andrew]

RAM qualified for a race!!!!!!!!!!

So if I downsize to 1 car, will I get some money back?

[Dexter249]

Two D&T oppurtunities on next year's car please.

[BioBiro]

Hello~

1.1 each or all together?

If 1.1 each will cut to just two or one D&Ts

Each. I'll do one or two next-year D&Ts for you, then - I won't put you into the red - don't worry about it.

RAM qualified for a race!!!!!!!!!!

So if I downsize to 1 car, will I get some money back?

Correct! If you were to downsize the team and sell-off the second car now (in the winter off-season), you would most likely make enough money back from the sale to put your team back in the black, and continue into 1985 - assuming you want to do that.

And even if you didn't continue into 1985, you'd leave far less arrears to your creditors, which would result in good karma.

[DemocalypseNow]

And even if you didn't continue into 1985, you'd leave far less arrears to your creditors, which would result in good karma.

What's the Karma <-> $USD exchange rate like?

[BioBiro]

And even if you didn't continue into 1985, you'd leave far less arrears to your creditors, which would result in good karma.

What's the Karma <-> $USD exchange rate like?

It's pretty good, but unfortunately RAM's debt is in Pounds Sterling...

Remaining budget: £-189,968

... which, like most £ <> FX - because-of-you-know-what (don't say it) - isn't.

[andrew]

I will put my second car up for sale, we do not have an asking price, just what we can get for it.

[BioBiro]

Alfa Romeo, Tyrrell, Spirit, and any other teams that want to perform D&T (or additional D&T) have plenty of time to do so, while I prepare all my nerdy files and charts for next season.


In the meantime, though, I thought we'd have a little chitty-chat~ about changes and improvements you'd like to see for 1985. Any feedback is welcome from team managers - a tail-ender's opinion is just as valid as a front-runner's opinion, to me; readers who spectate-only and have something they want to say, are also welcome to do so.

I have some questions I would like to hear your thoughts on:

• Would you prefer to negotiate driver, sponsor, engine etc costs, or are you happy with the easier-to-use method of having fixed prices to take-or-leave?

• Do you feel choosing fuel suppliers added much to the experience, or was it unnecessary?

• Did you find the restrictions on nationalities when signing engines to be too confusing? I remember quite a few people seemed to post invalid bids (for engine deals that had driver nationality requirements) that required correction. As an alternative to hard-and-fast nationality restrictions, all deals could be available to all teams, with a percentage 'bonus' for fulfilling the sponsor or supplier's requirements, if you would prefer this.

• How did you feel about having two different phases of driver, sponsor, engine etc signing? Do you want to keep it, or would you prefer doing all signing in one go?

• Did the 'imaginary rating' of any entity – for example, a driver's performance, a car or engine's ratings/statistics, a race's results – seem unrealistic (i.e. under-powered or overpowered)?

• How did you feel about the random events that occurred during the season – for example, Pironi's return to racing, the cancellation of the Spanish GP and the chaotic New York GP, Alfa Romeo attempting to extort Euroracing, BMW purchasing ATS, etc.? Would you prefer more of these random events, the same amount, less, or none of them? Did any teams that did not have events happen to them wish that they did, to make things more fun/engrossing for them?

• Did you feel D&T rewards (downforce increase, drag reduction, etc) scaled with team sizes fairly? This year, one-car teams receive 50% of the D&T reward, two-car teams receive 100% of the D&T reward, and three-car teams receive 150% of the D&T reward. It's been suggested to me that a curve like 60%-100%-167% would be more apt - a pattern of two-thirds of the previous percentage being added to the next percentage in the sequence.

[Aislabie]

• Would you prefer to negotiate driver, sponsor, engine etc costs, or are you happy with the easier-to-use method of having fixed prices to take-or-leave?

I definitely preferred the fixed prices. It meant things ran at a reasonable pace, and prevented the option of throwing silly money at someone to get them to an unreasonable team.

• Do you feel choosing fuel suppliers added much to the experience, or was it unnecessary?

Every opportunity for a backmarker to cut costs and/or to show how Italian they are is a good thing in my book.

• Did you find the restrictions on nationalities when signing engines to be too confusing? I remember quite a few people seemed to post invalid bids (for engine deals that had driver nationality requirements) that required correction. As an alternative to hard-and-fast nationality restrictions, all deals could be available to all teams, with a percentage 'bonus' for fulfilling the sponsor or supplier's requirements, if you would prefer this.

I didn't mind them at all, personally.

• How did you feel about having two different phases of driver, sponsor, engine etc signing? Do you want to keep it, or would you prefer doing all signing in one go?

The two phases definitely made things more interesting because we didn't know what was coming and had to plan accordingly.

• Did the 'imaginary rating' of any entity – for example, a driver's performance, a car or engine's ratings/statistics, a race's results – seem unrealistic (i.e. under-powered or overpowered)?

Minardi were clearly underpowered.

• How did you feel about the random events that occurred during the season – for example, Pironi's return to racing, the cancellation of the Spanish GP and the chaotic New York GP, Alfa Romeo attempting to extort Euroracing, BMW purchasing ATS, etc.? Would you prefer more of these random events, the same amount, less, or none of them? Did any teams that did not have events happen to them wish that they did, to make things more fun/engrossing for them?

I quite liked the way you worked these into the season, and for me they are the truly distinctive feature of this series. Please keep them.

• Did you feel D&T rewards (downforce increase, drag reduction, etc) scaled with team sizes fairly? This year, one-car teams receive 50% of the D&T reward, two-car teams receive 100% of the D&T reward, and three-car teams receive 150% of the D&T reward. It's been suggested to me that a curve like 60%-100%-167% would be more apt - a pattern of two-thirds of the previous percentage being added to the next percentage in the sequence.

I know I'm the one that suggested this, but now I'm not exactly sure. The 167% for a three-car team does seem rather large. Then again, I don't think it should just be a straight line either. But more importantly, it's 02:01 here and I should really get to bed.

[This Could Be You]

As our budget carries over into next year, Arrows will not be buying another D&T to ease driver and engine signing in the event the same thing happens as last year with sponsors.

[V8fan12]

Tyrrell will spend 2 D&Ts on next year's car

[BioBiro]

D&T after Round 16
Just need to get the below out of the way, so everything is above-board and on-the-record. The momentum that carries us toward 1985 is surely unstoppable, now.


Ferrari

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,860,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,920,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,980,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £2,040,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £2,100,000.

Brabham

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £520,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £560,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £600,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £640,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £680,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £720,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £760,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £800,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £840,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £880,000.

Williams

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,280,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,320,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,360,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,400,000.

McLaren

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,112,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,116,000.

Tyrrell

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,080,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,120,000.

Lotus

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,200,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £1,240,000.

Toleman

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £280,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £320,000.

Ligier

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £840,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £880,000.

ATS/BMW

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £960,000.

Osella

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £680,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £720,000.

RAM

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Team entry size contracted (Two-cars > One-car). D&T cost was waived. The surplus 'RAM 02' car and parts were sold for £890,000.

Minardi

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Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £640,000.
Development of next year's car. D&T cost was £660,000.

[andrew]

RAM to quit F1?

After a poor 1984 season in which they only qualified for one race and were not able to develop the 1985 car too much due to budget constraints RAM management are said to be considering leaving f1. It is believed RAM sold their second car to allow the, to be black in the black in budgetary terms and thus to keep with creditors happy and not sink in a mountain of debt. RAM are expected to confirm their plans within the next few days,

[TheFlyingCaterham]

Bio, I think you've managed to miss my D&T requests again.

[BioBiro]

Bio, I think you've managed to miss my D&T requests again.

Doh~, sorry.

I've added them just now, so I don't think anyone else will notice this. Luckily no harm done~!

I think I missed your request because it was sculpted into a non-primary paragraph. In future could you separate the D&T sentence out, or make it bold or red or something? I'm a bit dense at noticing these, so I think I need it highlighted with fluorescent colours wherever possible .