Three … is it the magic number?

It’s a debate which has been bubbling under the F1 surface for years. Every now and again it crops up again, usually to be shot down in flames. And it’s a subject I’ve no doubt everyone has an opinion on…

Should teams be allowed to run three cars on a Formula One weekend?

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hinted that the team may try and run three cars next season in a bid to allow Michael Schumacher to return to F1. In an interview in Italian ‘s most widely-read newspaper La Stampa, di Montezemolo said that Ferrari had wanted to go with former World Champion Schumacher as Felipe Massa’s stand-in last year, rather than a younger driver, thanks to his racing success.

“Well, we are still taking about Michael Schumacher. He’s 40 but he’s still from another planet!
“I prefer the champion, even if slightly older, to a mediocre driver, even if he’s young. Our team needed some great input.
“We are continuing to fight until that right to start with three cars next season – and one I’d hand over to Michael with pleasure. I prefer three McLaren and three Renault to three whatevers. With BMW gone, there’s not much to say, but there’s lots to do.”

But while The Prancing Horse are desperate to find a way for Michael to race alongside Alonso and Massa in 2010, others aren’t too keen on the idea. Ross Brawn, team principal at Mercedes following the buyout of Brawn GP said:

“I do not believe in three cars. Ferrari keeps the dream alive, but the starting grid is filled completely normally with at least 20 cars and there is no space for more.”

The thought of teams having three cars on the grid has always appealed to me, as I have always felt that 20 cars isn’t enough. With more cars there would be more racing, more overtaking, and a greater interest. But there are obviously some major questions and pitfalls too. If only the elite teams ran three cars, this would be grossly unfair, and this issue would need to be addressed. Maybe the third drivers could compete in their own championship, with only the main drivers taking part in the main championship.

There’s also the problem of teams using their third cars as ‘blockers’, to get in the way of the main championship – which could disrupt or even destroy the main spectacle. There’s also the possibility of pushing away the smaller teams. On the plus side, it would be a great way for teams to develop talent, and with the restricted testing these days, and extra car would allow the collection of extra data, but again, this could just favour the bigger teams. But it would be great to see an extra 13 drivers and cars on the grid, wouldn’t it.

Let me know what you think – leave us a comment.