[Arximedus]

Saying the cars of the 90's had minimal driving aids is a complete joke.

Indeed!

I think Frank Williams used to joke that the FW15C could have driven around the track itself!

By 1993, Formula One had become very much a high-tech arena and the FW15C was at the very forefront, featuring active suspension, anti-lock brakes, traction control, telemetry, fly-by-wire controls, pneumatic valve springs, power steering, semi-automatic transmission, a fully automatic transmission and also continuously variable transmission (although the latter was only used in testing). As a result Alain Prost described the car as "a little Airbus" [surrender]

http://www.f1seasonreview.com/formul...car-ever-made/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_FW15C

Just active suspension alone was unreal, the bloody car use to tilt into the corners like a train, and lift itself off the ground on the straights...

The FW15C also featured a push to pass system (left yellow button on steering wheel), which would use the active suspension to raise the car up at the rear, and eliminate the drag from the diffuser, effectively increasing speed through a lack of downforce. Williams was able to use the electronics, so they could sync up a flawless link that would simultaneously set the engine for another 300 revs, and raise the active suspension for when the driver needed extra speed while overtaking.

This system could be seen being used by Hill and Prost numerous times in 1993 while attempting passing manoeuvres.

[Munccoughe]

As i understand it, the intent is that as most modern cars (especially 'performance' models) use smaller engines and turbo's, then this will be more representative and the technological spinoffs are of more interest to manufacturers. Just as the KERS is supposed to represent hybrid energy recovery.
AFAIK, the only real drivers aids are currently power steering (and brakes?) and automated clutches with electronically operated sequential gear selection.
However, that's partially offset with the amount of driver selected options and controls mounted on the steering wheel.

Rather than having restrictions to the boost, intake area, etc, I'd like them to say - OK, 1.6 litres, turbocharged, do what you want within those requirements but you only get THIS much fuel

[Arximedus]

Rather than having restrictions to the boost, intake area, etc, I'd like them to say - OK, 1.6 litres, turbocharged, do what you want within those requirements but you only get THIS much fuel

I quite like that idea, but they'd have to restrict the fuel in qualifying also, otherwise they'd be on full boost all the time like the old days.

Might be a bit too dangerous in the race also, especially if for example there are a lot of safety car periods, and lots of fuel saving. You could have some insane banzai engine laps afterwards with everyone on full boost on a restart.
Tbh, with more variable power outputs it would probably only increase the gaps between some teams and make things less competitive. Heck the difference between say any of the top four teams and a HRT is pretty massive now.

I guess ~750HP is plenty enough really, they can use the KERS/DRS or design a more slippery car if a team requires more top speed. But I do miss the old engine days where there was more variety, Turbo vs Normally Aspirated, Inline Four vs V6, V10 vs V12 etc