OneFormula is a much-needed alternative to the actual sleep-inducing processions called "Formula 1". 

It proposes changes in following categories:

• Circuits

• Cars

• Qualification

• Points system

• Regulations

OneFormula includes a format that produces a meaningful "Best of all-time" ranking

Formula 1 is on its way to its 75th anniversary. A lot has changed: engine power has tripled, car weight and width has doubled, lap times are cut in half. 

But circuits have hardly changed. In fact, more narrow street circuits are added to the calendar. It is to no surprise that F1 races have turned into soporific processions: current circuits are the biggest threat to attractive racing. 

In 2017, Liberty Media purchases a controlling interest in Ecclestone's Formula One Group. The result: a hi-tech sports business with three stakeholders:

• Technology - Engine manufacturers, constructors and their suppliers in Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA)

• Sport - Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) as the sport's formal regulator

• Business - Formula One Management (Liberty Media) with a market of 500+ million customers

Oh yes, and then there are the drivers and circuit owners. So it is no coincidence that little or nothing has changed on circuits: it is the last part of business not yet fully controlled by Liberty. Endless negotiations with circuit owners lead to new, often temporary contracts. 

What is striking about these negotiations is that almost exclusively facilities are discussed and not the circuits themself.

Over the past 25 years, four cars have dominated Formula 1 racing. In all those years, little was done to address the root cause. Most of the actions taken to improve quality of racing were -and still are- symptom control.

Product development of the sport lags behind. Despite world-class marketing tools, F1 struggles to convert market knowledge into product improvement: if you sell excitement, consecutive four- and seven-time world champions are counterproductive. F1 management understands this: we know what role Abu Dhabi 2021 has played in this.

With the arrival of Liberty we are treated to a different type of entertainment, sometimes at the expense of excitement on the track. 

Stefano Domenicali, CEO of FOM, is focusing on a new generation of F1 fans that is allegedly "more open to change", downplaying the increasingly louder complaints of "old fashioned" racing enthusiasts and media. FOM has 500 million customers, who attract powerful sponsors: money talks. But recent independent surveys show a declining interest in F1 from Domenicali's new generation of fans, not the least triggered by Monaco 2024, the worst "race" in F1's history. 

Extensive market surveys are launched, segments like "Purists, Sociables and Habituals" are identified, but seemingly nobody asked the only key question: "Why are you watching F1?" 

Then again, you don't need surveys for the answer: no DRS-trains, but real battles, wheel-to-wheel racing, foto-finishes and (fatal) accidents. With current safety levels, the chances of the latter happening are extremely small, so FOM better produces more of the other elements.

Time differences between teams may have been reduced, but there is a misconception here: smaller differences do not lead to more battles on the track as long as cars cannot overtake. Some examples:

• DRS, an aerodynamic aid introduced in 2011 to simulate overtaking. It produces predictable passings, not overtakes, which have nothing to do with racing.

• Aerodynamic changes to enable slipstreaming only produce shorter "DRS-trains"

• Sprint races are a significant improvement, but not as a replacement for qualifying, as they were in the original format. This has been corrected in the meanwhile.

• Inverted grid positions was another idea fortunately put to rest. It leads to more blue flag-like lapping at the end of DRS zones.

• Aerodynamic Time Reduction, another measure introduced in 2020, has not lead to any significant improvement

Sporting Code

FIA's Sporting Code has turned into an overly complicated bible: even the stewards of the race have a hard time to implement it in a consistent way. Penalties are handed out at random, leading to protest, which in turn lead to adjusted results days after the race. 

There are exceptions: 

• In July 2023, FIA introduced a separate shoutout for sprint races: the result of a sprint race will no longer determine the starting grid of a Grand Prix. The effect is surprising. Drivers are more aggressive and take more risks because the outcome of the sprint race no longer affects the starting position for the race.

• ATA -alternative tire allocation, originally meant to boost F1's sustainablility goals- levels the playing field and forces constructors to make cars performing well on every type of tire.

Rules 2026
The new regulations for 2026 bring a number of improvements, such as reduction of weight, but also a significant setback, such as the "manual override", a temporary power boost that will only bring even more passing - not overtaking - on the straights. No driver in his right mind is going to use this in the curves. It is a poor copy of DRS, an instrument that has more than exceeded its shelf life.

There is not a single article about the circuits in the regulations. It proves once again how little FIA ​​/FOM understand the essence of Formula 1.

“We want to be able to give Formula 1 fans the content they want and as much of it as they want to consume” - Chris Roberts, F1's head of IT infrastructure. 

A nice statement, but so far it hasn't worked out too well. Viewers are bombarded with data and graphics to make up for the lack of excitement on the track, but little has changed about the product itself. 

With the arrival of Amazon Web Services as a partner of F1, the use of graphics has turned into a real nuisance:

OneFormula proposes changes in five areas:

1. Circuits

• Straight length

• Finishing position

• Track limits

• Chicanes

• Track width 

• Turn apex 

2. Cars

• DRS

• Front wing

• Rain races

• Tire choice

3. Qualification

• Format

4. Point System

• Points spread

• Qualification

5. Regulations

• Penalties 

• Interviews

It is striking to see how much F1 cars have changed and how little the circuits. 

Current F1 circuits are the biggest barrier to overtaking; they are not adapted to the size of modern F1 cars. With the current trend towards more - often narrower - Mickey Mouse circuits, this problem is only getting bigger.

McLaren is making a serious attempt to change this with its  "MCLExtreme":

Straights

Since DRS is disappearing in the new format, most straights are too short for a normal overtaking maneuver. 

Hence: at least one straight of 1500 meters

Finish

Now that cars have been modified to enable slipstreaming, photo-finishes are making a comeback, but the finish line needs to move further away from the final turn.

Hence: finish line minimum 500 meter after last corner

Track width

Monaco may have a special place in the calendar and will probably survive for a while, but stationary cars in a hairpin have no place in F1.

Hence: minimum track width of 4 cars

Track limits
Too complicated. We need to get rid of blue, yellow or red lines. Curbstones destroy suspensions, reducing the number of competitors and therefore excitement. It is understandable that circuits where Moto GP's are held prefer not to have walls, but this can be solved with grass or gravel.

Hence : only walls, asphalt or grass

Track limits during the Austrian Grand Prix in 2023 destroyed the shootout and qualification - much to the dismay of drivers and commentators. Countless laps were deleted. 

During the race, one track limit was exceeded more than 1200 times. Obviously,  FIA could not keep track of them and act in time. 

After a protest from Aston Martin, it took the FIA three days to adjust the result : eight drivers lost places and points in the championship. This is supposed to be the "premier class" of the most popular and most expensive hi-tech sport in the world.

Dual lane chicanes
A simple solution to increase overtaking. The track is split into two identical chicanes. Whoever goes fastest through the chicane is ahead at the exit.

Hence: dual lane chicanes

Apex lines
There is a lot of fuss about who is to blame for collisions in turns, leading to questionable penalties, which in turn disrupt a race. When approaching a turn, the car that reaches the apex line first with its front wheels is allowed to follow the ideal line. In case of a collision, no penalty for the first car that reached the apex line. FIA has adapted this idea in 2023 in its rule book. 

Hence: apex lines in every turn

"MCLExtreme" also modifies F1 cars. The result is spectacular, especially since it is not an artist's impression, but a serious data-based vision of what F1 cars could look like in 2050.

DRS
After more than 10 years, this device is well past its expiry date. "DRS overtaking" has little or nothing to do with racing skills, but more with aerodynamics. Predictable excitement is no excitement.

Hence: away with DRS

Wheel arches
Rain races have become a farce in recent years, the GP of Belgium 2021 being the saddest highlight: three laps behind the safety car.

Cars are equipped with special suspension points to which wheel arches can be attached quickly and safely. The race director decides when wheel covers should be fitted in case of rain. Cars make a pit stop under safety car rules.

Hence: wheel arches for rain races

In June 2023, FIA comes up with a first proposal for mudguards:

“Formula 1 wheel arches, which are required to be fitted to cars in wet conditions, will be track tested for the first time after the British Grand Prix. These would not be a permanent addition to the cars, but could be easily attached to the car for wet conditions should they arise either before a race or during a red-flag stoppage". 

Nikolas Tombazis, head of FIA F1's technical department, said the project was started due to a desire to see a repeat of the Belgian 2021 Grand Prix: "scars left on the sport".

In 2024, Formula 1 is still experimenting with wheel arches, without major results

Choice of tires
The current mandatory use of two types of tires in a race is limiting teams and cars in optimizing speed. It turns results more predictable and makes races boring. 

Teams will receive three sets of each tire type, which they can choose from among those available for a given circuit. There are no restrictions on tire use during qualifying and races, including mandatory pit stops for tire changes.

In 2023, FIA announces ATA, alternative tire allocations, an experiment with a "Revised Qualifying Format to reduce waste"

Q1 - hard tire

Q2 - medium tire

Q3 - soft tire

Hence: free choice of tires*

* In 2024, FIA abandons the Revised Qualifying Format

Front wing
Most starts result in casualties in turn 1 or 2. In many of those clashes there is no structural damage, only to -part of- the front wing. 

But the consequences are disproportionate: a pit stop for a new wing ruins a driver's chances. These minor incidents often make an end to a battle or a race. 

Hence: adapted front wings

The current qualifying format of twenty cars entering the track at the same time - getting in each other's way - is unattractive to the public. 

These tragicomic "sur places" just before a banker lap may be an integral part of track cycling events, but there is no place for these in Formula 1. We are waiting for the first major accident*. 

*In 2014, FIA introduced a delta to avoid that drivers go below a certain minimum speed 

One/two-lap sprint races
The current qualifying format will be replaced by one and two-lap shoutouts between two cars. These sprint races with cars in qualifying trim, special close-up angles for cameras and drones will turn qualifying into a speed festival. Gone are the failed helmet camera's. 

Below the procedure:

• Q1 - two sprint races of two laps by 10 pairs of 2 cars. Pairs are made based on their lap times from last free practice, starting with the slowest cars. The two lap times are averaged and count towards starting grid positions. The 10 slowest cars occupy positions 11-20 on the starting grid in order of their average lap time. The 10 fastest cars advance to Q2.

• Q2 - one two-lap sprint race with the remaining 10 cars in 5 pairs. The average lap time now counts for positions 1-10 on the grid.

• Q3 - one two-lap sprint race with the two fastest cars from Q2 in. The fastest car from Q2 may choose its place on the starting grid. The winner is on pole position.

Hence: shootout races for qualifying

One of the reasons for the lack of excitement in F1 is the points system used by the FIA. 

Since the beginning of F1 in 1950, FIA has changed the format several times, but points spread between competitors has hardly changed. 

On the contrary: the last change in 2010 significantly widens the gap between victory and second place.

Points system
Enlarging the difference between winner and second place is counterproductive. By lowering the points spread between different positions, overtaking will more quickly lead to an improvement of a driver's standing in the Championship at the end of a season. That is a greater incentive to overtake.

Hence: less spread in points system

Q-points
A second difference from the current points system is "points for qualification". Turning qualifying into one and two lap races makes this all the more justified. This points system will intensify the battle for position 15 or better, while the three fastest qualifiers will still be rewarded appropriately.

Hence: points for Q2/Q3 and shootouts

Fastest lap
The fastest lap has become a matter of tactics: switching to a faster tire in the last laps. It no longer depends on a driver's -or car's- speed.

Hence: no points for fastest lap

Let's take a look at the 2022 season and compare the two points systems. 

It is clear that the OneFormula points system would have created more exciting races throughout the season:

The graph shows that the OneFormula points spread is significantly smaller, resulting in more competition during the season and more attractive races. It is striking that

• Verstappen's dominance is significantly less than in FIA's current system

• Leclerc's lead over Perez is greater because of his 9 pole positions

• Sainz, Alonso and Vettel move up one place in the standings

For statistics die-hards: standard deviation of FIA's points system is 129; OneFormula's is 87, a difference of  35%.

Penalties
In FIA's Sporting Code, frequent offenders receive penalty points on their super license. But penalty points on licenses make drivers more cautious; you achieve the opposite.

Hence: penalties only during Grand Prix weekends

Interviews

Not before long will we see interviews with drivers during a race -in addition to the pre- and post-race interviews. This is not hypothetic: in some races -or even seasons- a winner "coasts" to the finish. 

During the Ferrari/Schumacher reign of 2000-2005, Ecclestone compared F1 racing to "a ride to the supermarket".

You don't need an extensive customer survey to find out that F1 fans don't want prefabricated answers to silly questions. Formula 1 is known for underestimating the intelligence of its customers. Here again, it is a failed attempt to compensate for lack of excitement on the track.

Hence: no more "press squares"

Below the calculations based on the OneFormula format and its points system, which reduces points spread with 35%, enhancing battles on the track:

Driver standings are calculated by 

• Total points earned in shoutouts, qualifying, sprint races and Grands Prix 

• Divided by total number of shoutouts, qualifying, sprint races and Grands Prix*

* Races or qualifications not finished because of car- or team related issues  (T) do no count for the total:

The OneFormula format yields a smaller points spread:

Team standings -the "speed trap"- are calculated by taking the average of points earned by fastest of two team cars in shoutouts and qualifying