Press Releases - Driver Skills - NERF

Driver Skills - NERF

Regardless of what side of the fence you're on, we circle back to the basic principle. The argument exists because of one simple factor, and one simple solution.

Yes, for sure, managers have exploited loopholes and technicalities after crunching the numbers. All is fair.

Yes, more and more drivers are hitting the meta and skewing the curve as the method becomes apparent. All is fair.

Whether IRL or online, when something is open to interpretation, and the numbers are there to be crunched, and crunched again, and eventually deconstructed into a fine powder and consumed in an all powerful protein shake, you cannot chastise them for it. It's effectively an extension of Sod's Law when you realise you didn't see it yourself, or execute the plan as successfully.

All Motorsport with interpretive rules is the same, so the rules are clarified and changed.

As soon as someone finds and exploits a weapon hack in Call of Duty for example, the game is changed to accommodate.

In 2008, NHL Ice Hockey saw one of the most genius exploits in recent memory, when NY Rangers Sean Avery decided that - as there was no rule against it - he would turn his back on the game in a powerplant scenario, stand inches from NJ Devils GK Martin Brodeur, and proceed to furiously wave his arms and stick in Brodeurs face, completely obstructing his view of the game, but not actually touching him...

No penalty could be called because there was no rule against it, despite being unsportsmanlike, and Avery effectively antagonised his way into the history books, as the next day "The Avery Rule" was introduced to ensure it didn't happen again.

And let's not forget that just a few months ago, 11,000 illegally watched KSI Vs Logan Paul 2 on a free live stream in the reflection of a man's glasses. Loopholes and exploits are there, and will be discovered.

The bottom line is, when the rules have been interpreted to a fault, or the numbers have been crunched so far that there is now one exploitative way to play... The game has to change.

The parameters are understood wall to wall, the meta for training, skill boosting, series applications, even timing and chassis choices are now so deeply and clearly understood that they can be exploited, and that is nobodies fault, and nothing more than a tick in the box of those who made it work for them.

Personally I'd like to see a re-write. 4 new chassis, 4 new engines, all new parameters. Differences in the core values of what each skill offers, the tracks they are optimal and sub-optimal for, and a diversified range of how each skill benefits a driver in a certain car, in a certain series.

Otherwise known as "Nerfing". Like the FIA did with blown deffusers, bunny ears, ground effect, 6 wheels, S-Duct, flexi-wings, turbo fans and even the driver of the day vote rigging.

As the understanding of the rules evolves, so too must the rules.