First off, I want to thank everyone on this board for welcoming me into your "club". After being a lurker for so long, I cannot believe how well accepted I have been by everyone on here.
Here is my question:
It is obvious to me that certain teams lack the funding to compete with the "big boys" throughout the calender. It makes me wonder if it would be plausible for a team such as Marrussia, Sauber, or even others to put all their focus on one single unique track instead of finishing in the back every week.
I know Marrussia struggles to develop at all, so I will use Sauber as an example.
Instead of producing little increments of improvement throughout the year and hoping to score points due to the other teams having problems at a single GP, why not focus on a single track year round?
For instance, at Monaco nearly every team brings a Monaco only package. Since it is a one off event, I feel that there is an advantage to be gained by someone.
If a team like Sauber spent all year in the simulator driving Monaco, spent damn near all of their development funding, set their gear ratios, and made EVERY upgrade to the car with Monaco in mind, would they have a chance at that one track to shock the paddock and win the grand prix?
Sure, it might hurt their results at other tracks outside of maybe Singapore and Spain, but if I were running a team I would MUCH rather have a great chance at actually winning a race than battling ad nauseum for 12th place and hoping that due to failures in front you grab a couple points here and there.
I think it would also help out with sponsorships. Would you rather sponsor a car that may luck into a 7th place finish once or twice a year or sponsor a car that is an actual race winner? ESPECIALLY at a race as prestigious as Monaco?
A similar thing is happening in NASCAR. With their current rules, if you win a race you get into their "playoffs". Knowing how well AJ Allmendinger is at Watkins Glen and the fact that since there are only 2 road course races, most teams go to the Glen just hoping to stay out of trouble. JTG Daugherty has taken a polar opposite approach. Their entire season hinges on that singular race. All of their car developments are with Watkins Glen in mind due to the MASSIVE payoff for a win.
I do not know if what I am saying is even possible, but thought it was an interesting question. I hope I am not the only one! Ha ha!
I just picked out Monaco due to its uniqueness, but other tracks may be worthy of consideration. What other track is so very unique compared to the rest? Monza? Singapore?
What it all boils down to, I guess...
If Sauber spent 100% of all their efforts on having the best car at Monaco, would they have any chance of genuinely winning the grand prix?
What do you tihnk?