The departure of Mark Webber isn’t the only change facing the Formula 1 circuit in the 2014 season; the cars themselves are undergoing a massive technical change. Not only will the engine and chassis specifications be changing, the fuel and weight limits will also be altered. With so many new factors to take into consideration, we’re sure all the F1 teams are working round the clock to get as much pre-season practise in as possible!
The dawning of the 2014 race season in March will reveal just how successful their adaptations have been and, of course, whether or not the adjustments result in a better experience for the spectators. Approximately half a billion people worldwide tune in to Formula 1 qualifiers and races on television each season; will these significant changes reel them in further or push them away? Here’s what some industry experts had to say on the matter.
Formula 1 2014 – Regualtion Changes Explained (HD)
Head of Renault Sport’s engine team, Rob White, has spoken to CNN about the switch to 1.6 litre V6 turbo engines. The 750 bhp produced by the 2013 2.4 litre V8 engines has been reduced to 600 from the brand spanking new hybrids. However, the design of the new engines means that a considerable amount of power will also be generated by the kinetic energy created while braking and thermal energy harnessed from the exhaust gases. Will it be enough to provide the thrilling, fast-paced race environment F1 fans are accustomed to?
2014 F1™ Technical Regulation Changes: A Shell and Ferrari Guide
White admitted that it will be a challenge, saying “”These new engines are extremely challenging in many respects — to come close to matching the present generation of F1 engines is a big, big ask. Reliability is going to be an even bigger challenge.”F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport — it has the word motor in it — and the spotlight will be on the motor unit more particularly in the early days of this rules cycle. “My feeling is that there will be a period in the beginning which will display those differences which will be visible even to non-expert eyes.”
The engine is only the beginning of the changes due to hit F1; the aerodynamics and, therefore, the shape of the cars is also set to be different. The nose, front wing, rear wing, cooling systems and exhaust are the focus of these changes but, according to McLaren Sporting Director Sam Michael, the external changes won’t be immediately obvious to the untrained eye.
“If you went to someone in the street who doesn’t normally look at cars and said ‘spot the difference’ they wouldn’t see it,” said Michael, before continuing “A normal Formula One audience will, however, see a difference, for sure. “Physically, the front of the car will look quite different. The front of the chassis has come down by 75 millimetres, the whole nose has been lowered and the front wing has come in 75 mm each side. “The back of the car is completely different because there will be no rear lower wing and the upper rear wing is smaller.
“Now the exhaust comes down the side pods, but in 2014 that’s all gone, the exhaust will come out through the middle of the car. “It’s all going to look very different.”
With the engine changes, car changes and a new fuel flow limit (“There is a fuel flow limit. The instantaneous fuel consumption will be limited to 100 kilos per hour above 10,500 rpm. Last season there was no limit and typically a 2.4-litre V8 ran about 160 kilos per hour at the end of the straight” explained Rob White) the field is potentially open for a more competitive season. As all of the teams work to adapt to the new specifications and regulations, it is possible that any one of them could gain the upper hand. Good news for fans, particularly those following the less successful teams, but how do the drivers feel about it? Adrian Sutil has said “There will be a lot of fuel-saving early in the race,” “It will be a big challenge. “It will be like a long endurance race like at Le Mans, that’s how you drive.” “I expect some cars at the beginning rolling out with one lap to go without fuel on board, so it opens up some opportunities. It could well be a chance for smaller teams to finish in top positions.”
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg does not yet appear confident enough to commit himself either way, stating “There are so many massive changes” “You don’t know what’s going to happen and where the main performance advantages are going to come from, whether the engines are going to be deciding things between the different teams or whether it will be more the car – we’ll have to wait and see.”
One thing we do know for sure is that we, and hopefully you, are very keen to see how the changes pan out. Roll on Melbourne!
If you would like to read more about how team bosses are embracing the changes, the official Formula 1 website features a great interview with Toro Rosso’s Technical Director James Key and Caterham’s Mark Smith, which can be found here. Details of changes to the point system, driver numbers, cost cap and new penalties can also be read on the Formula 1 site.
2014 F1 Teams & Drivers
As at 14th January, the team list (with driver numbers) looks like this:
Red Bull Racing
Sebastian Vettel (1)
Daniel Ricciardo (3)
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton (44)
Nico Rosberg (6)
Ferrari
Fernando Alonso (14)
Kimi Raikkonen (7)
Lotus
Romain Grosjean (8)
Pastor Maldonado (13)
McLaren
Jenson Button (22)
Kevin Magnussen (20)
Force India
Nico Hulkenberg (27)
Sergio Perez (11)
Sauber
Adrian Sutil (99)
Esteban Gutierrez (21)
Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne (25)
Daniil Kvyat (26)
Williams
Felipe Massa (19)
Valtteri Bottas (77)
Marussia
Jules Bianchi (17)
Max Chilton (TBC)
Caterham
TBC
TBC
Do you think these changes will make any difference to the season? Will it make it better? Let us know your thoughts below.
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