Jean, the way contracts are now, there's little chance you'll be able to reach the maximum as your designer will run off to another team before the car gets there.
@Brent: I have seen weight of the chassis be between set weights but you never know what you are going to get since we have random factors when designing chassis.
So say Short is between 400kgs - 450kgs (don't know the real numbers) then Medium will be say 430kgs - 480kgs with long between 450kgs - 500kgs. This was done not to give any one design a huge advantage when it comes to weight.
If you want to see better results with chassis focus should be placed on weight but again still random factors apply but lessen the wide results.
@Tom & Jean: If you can not carry from season to season then the system is broken since I am set to have a unsure chassis for a very long time but I also agree that it would be broken if we could carry forever these parts as some team will not need to develop at all in the next few years depending on their research and head designer. I am sadly one of these teams as I have maxed most of my parts to my head designer with a few exceptions (chassis) but I also realized that I am at the point where I need a better more expensive designer it I am going to see progress.
I was able to sign a new all superb designer up from my very good designer for luckly the same price as my very good designer but he won't join my team for a season or two; so I will not be able to develop for the most part next season.
@Matthew: This isn't true since every time you staff members are unhappy with your contract they can be extended for more money & term. I think I have most of my good staff members signed already up to season 10 and some beyond. This has created a situation where staff are yours for life if your willing to pay for them and this is determined by what they feel they are worth.
I seen some superb designers asking for $2 million plus since they are rated top 10 but guys in the top 20 asking for $1 million and guys out of the top 20 asking for under a million and majority of these where all superb designers.
I have figured having a superb designer in it self will create greater divides then the research and development being carried then anything else since everything is now limited to your head designer skills.
Yeah i know it's not your fault Robert However those with really good parts should have seen their research levels start at around the potential of those parts so there would have been a good advantage there. Im almost certain that next years parts will be based on research levels partly so i wouldn't let them get too low or your might find yourself in Div.1 in a similar position to me right now, trust me its not fun lol!
@Tom: I suspect I will either struggle next season or be top middle of division 1 as it really depends on a few things like carrying the development forward into next season and developing my weak points of my car.
If it goes based off of research then it's anyone guess where we will land with new parts next season.
Sadly, I won't be able to improve my chassis before next season but I have some other parts in the works so I will see soon what they turn out. It might mean I finish the season even further a head then I am already.
However those with really good parts should have seen their research levels start at around the potential of those parts so there would have been a good advantage there. Im almost certain that next years parts will be based on research levels partly so i wouldn't let them get too low or your might find yourself in Div.1 in a similar position to me right now, trust me its not fun lol!