Photo: skysports.com
Simpler aerodynamics to encourage more overtaking. This is the promise made on Tuesday by Formula 1 officials as they announced the approval of new regulations meant to make GPs more attractive for the viewers and safer for the drivers.
There are three major changes to be made for the 2019 season in order to achieve this goal: a simplified front wing, with a larger span and low outwash potential, a simplified front brake duct with no winglets and a wider and deeper rear wing.
Formula 1 says it has reached this decision after consulting with a majority of the F1 teams in studies that showed such modifications will have a positive impact on overtaking in the Formula 1.
Ross Brawn, the competitions managing director, said that should these regulations have been in place at last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the collision between teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen might not have occurred.
As it was, the downforce loss experienced by Ricciardo in the wake of Verstappen’s car made the racer coming from behind unstoppable.
“Whilst this was a very severe example, it did highlight once more the need of finding a way to develop the rules to make the cars more raceable in these conditions,” said the F1 official.
"The decision of the Strategy Group and the F1 Commission taken yesterday, sanctioned by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, to approve a number of aerodynamic modifications, aimed at promoting closer racing and more overtaking for the 2019 season is definitely an important step.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a similar one made earlier in April. At that time, also for the 2019 season, Formula 1 announced the increase of in-race fuel allowance by 5 kg, from 105 to 110 kg.
Also, F1 decided to no longer take into account the weight of the driver when weighing the cars and will impose the use of biometric gloves for the drivers.
Formula 1 says it has reached this decision after consulting with a majority of the F1 teams in studies that showed such modifications will have a positive impact on overtaking in the Formula 1.
Ross Brawn, the competitions managing director, said that should these regulations have been in place at last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the collision between teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen might not have occurred.
As it was, the downforce loss experienced by Ricciardo in the wake of Verstappen’s car made the racer coming from behind unstoppable.
“Whilst this was a very severe example, it did highlight once more the need of finding a way to develop the rules to make the cars more raceable in these conditions,” said the F1 official.
"The decision of the Strategy Group and the F1 Commission taken yesterday, sanctioned by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, to approve a number of aerodynamic modifications, aimed at promoting closer racing and more overtaking for the 2019 season is definitely an important step.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a similar one made earlier in April. At that time, also for the 2019 season, Formula 1 announced the increase of in-race fuel allowance by 5 kg, from 105 to 110 kg.
Also, F1 decided to no longer take into account the weight of the driver when weighing the cars and will impose the use of biometric gloves for the drivers.
Google News