[Auto Moto] Todd: Formula One should design cars that can race in the rain

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https://www.msn.com/ar-ae/autos/autosracing/تود-على-الفورمولا-واحد-تصميم-سيارات-قادرة-على-التسابق-في-الأمطار/ar-AAOEWzW

 

 

 

Everyone had to abandon the Spa-Francorchamps race after three laps behind the safety car due to bad weather that was not good enough to allow the current generation of cars to race.

The high levels of downforce produced by the current fighters, along with the wider tires, means that more spray is spread in the air while racing in the rain, which makes visibility very poor.

Todd believes that this issue needs to be addressed in the future, and believes that this will most likely happen when the new power units are fully approved in 2025.

"A lot of people criticized what was decided at Spa, but what would have happened if the race had started was a 10-car accident causing injuries to the drivers or even worse," the Frenchman said.

He added, "We would have faced a media massacre. Even without the injuries, we would have been criticized."

"As for the laws of 2025, we have to think about providing cars that can be driven even in the rain. Remember Niki Lauda in Fuji in 1976? He was the only driver who gave up racing in the rain. All drivers now think the same way Lauda thought back then."

F1's failure to race in the Belgian Grand Prix caused some controversy, especially with the half points awarded despite the fact that no actual racing laps were completed.

And DTM principal Gerhard Berger believes F1 has had to make a decision about never racing in the rain or continuing when conditions weren't ideal. He said that the current mediocre situation is not good for anyone.

"I honestly don't feel any sympathy for this," said the Austrian. "In my opinion, you have to decide in advance if you want to race in the rain or not. In America on the Oval they decided not to race in the rain, and that's okay and everyone knows that."

"But F1 is used to racing in the rain and so is DTM. Motorsport is dangerous and difficult in terms of visibility, but if you decide to race in the rain, that's what you have to deal with."

He continued, "When the track is slippery or there is a lot of water, you have to slow down. That's part of the game."

"Maybe it was really bad in the end at Spa. But at first I didn't see any reason why we couldn't have a rainy race."

He continued: "It's the same for me to go behind the safety car. I don't agree with that. You have to make steady starts even in the rain. It's less dangerous for me because you get into Turn 1 at a lower speed. With a moving start there will be more water. And the vision is less.

He completed two laps behind the safety car and then set up a steady start.