Slick tires to return to F1?

[iGav]

This may be a silly idea (I haven't thought it through), but if they want to reduce costs why not just institute a spending cap rather than screwing around with the race cars? At one stroke they would reduce the amount of testing, the budget disparity, etc

That's a possible solution for sure, cap the budget at $150 million, and each team has to provide detailed accounts at the end of each season to the FIA for auditing. Though utlimately... it'd be difficult to enforce, what would stop Ferrari (or anyone else) building a mule and testing 24/7 at Fiorano?

I've always thought that banning testing outright, and replacing it with unlimited Friday running at each circuit would significantly help to cut costs as well as improving the spectacle... open up Fridays as cheap days for spectators too.

Without refueling, drivers have no incentive to run out huge gaps. In fact, they wouldn't want to. No refueling will close up the gaps and lead to more opportunities for overtaking, since the driver behind still has the incentive to open up and drive faster, but the driver in front has an incentive to let up slightly and conserve.

Ideally... but in principle you have so many variables, mainly the different fuel consumption between teams, driving styles etc. that I bet it wouldn't though look what Senna used to do back in the turbo era, go like the clappers for 20 laps, build a 30 second lead, and then just back off for the rest of the race.

Schu, or Alonso, or Kimi would do exactly the same... infact Schu used do exactly that before refuelling was reintroduced back in '94.