Why can't F1 drivers start from same parallel positions?

Question

I am new to Formula 1 races. F1 seems to be almost impossible to compete or win. Once a driver starts at the front, it is nearly a sure victory. Drivers starting from the back cannot have a chance. Why can't they start from the same line as in Olympic athletics. It is only 20 or so cars. Just widen the track and let the natural course take its place. Now it's too boring and predetermined.

Answer 1

1) It could be dangerous, with cars overtaking each other all at once as they are released.

2) In parallel positions, some drivers could still have an advantage anyway - the ones nearer the inside of the track would have (mathmatically) the shortest distance to travel, whereas the ones on the outside would have a longer distance to travel. Draw yourself a track (made of one circle in another circle is the easiest to see) and you'll see what I mean if you imagine all the drivers lined up.

3) Budgeting would not allow it, it would cost lots of money and they wouldn't have enough for the G.H.Mumm :(

4) As one other answerer has already said (so basically I second this point) the race isn't just the race - the excitement begins with the qualifying. It's about earning an advantage to help you.

5) It's not all "boring and predetermined". If you saw 2008's Canadian GP you would have seen Kazuki Nakajima in 3rd at one point, something which is rarely seen since he is usually at the back! David Coulthard actually finished 3rd rather than stayed at the back! Some races produce really weird results like that. Plus, the battle between Ferrari, McClaren-Mercedes and new threat BMW is really exciting. Each fortnight someone seems to take the World Champion title from somebody else. If you're into it, and support one of those teams (I'm a McClaren girl all the way!) then it is really UNboring.

Answer 2

Not really, because a few years ago, drivers have to carry the fuel you start with during your qualifying

This means, if you want pole, you have to run less fuel

So, a 2nd place driver can still win because when the first driver pits earier for fuel, the 2nd driver can pump in a series of fast lap while the 1st driver is heavily loaded with fuel

This created and overlaping total time, which means by the time the 2nd driver pits and comes out, he is in front of the 1st driver

Furthermore, there are many other factor such as race pace and qualifying pace. the car that is fast at qualifying doesn't meant its fast in race. Because a fast 1 lap car may use up more of its tires, while a car that is not fast at 1 lap, may be more gentle on the tires and towards the first pit stop window, his tires still have alot of grip left and allows the driver to push and put it a series of fast lap before pitting.

Answer 3

Tracks would have to be widend a bit.......

Seriously F1 qualifing is part of the race really and who ever gets pole position deserves a tiny advantage. If a driver is skiled enough and has the right car they can still achieve a good result from the back of the grid, John Watson made a career at Mclaren doing just that.

Answer 4

You say drivers starting from the back have no chance and that its only the people upto row 4 who stand a chance? Rewind a bit to the 03,04,05,06,07 seasons when great drivers like Raikkonen in particular won lots of races from positon 12 !

At the opening 2003 Australian Grand Prix, Räikkönen qualified 15th in the spare car. In the race he took the lead before being caught speeding in the pitlane, after a software glitch in the car's electronic system. Räikkönen held off Michael Schumacher to finish 3rd. In Malaysia, Räikkönen won his first race after starting from 7th on the grid.

There have been innumerable incidents like these.

Answer 5

lol no offence mate but I highly disagree

It takes cars less than 3 seconds to get from the back of the grid to the start, at the start of the race (assuming no crash) and cars often win by more than 3 seconds.

The race isnt just the race, the competition for each track begins on the Friday of each weekend when they have pratice sessions, cars should be rewarded on the Saturday for going faster and thus being further up the grid.

If you have all the cars starting in a line there is going to be so much more crashes as well the track isn't even that wide.

And if you actually look at it hardly ever does poll position take out the race, I mean I think there's only been one race this season where that's happened (Australia - Lewis Hamilton) and quite often cars from the back of the grid get to the front during the race if their fast enough, just look at Lewis Hamilton again at the last race of last season where he dropped 40 seconds due to engine failure and still managed to come back (not to win because he screwed up again) but took like 17 places or something awesome.

The tracks cannot be widened further due to well in Monaco it's on the streets of the city so they'd have to move the buldings or the river; Cost; Seating arrangements; as well as the actual racing with cars having to overtake each other in fairly tight squeezes unlike in MotoGP or something dumb where they can fit like atleast 10 bikes beside each other.

I hope you continue to watch F1 and realise that starting from the front of the grid is an advantage the driver earns and as you watch it more you will notice that the racers are hardly ever 'predetermined' though it's almost guaranteed McLaren will win each time :P

Hope this helps, I'll add more when I think of some

Thanks

McLaren