The 2017 Cars

[Scott]

...will be quite a bit different.  Power units are going to remain fairly stable technically, but the manufacturers are obligated to supply every team one way or another, and engine costs will come down to 12mEuro's in '18, a considerable drop from today.  I don't care about the noise.  The old cars were too loud to be at a race without ear protection and basically forget any discussion with a friend in the stands.  The new engines allow you to both attend without protection and you can have a conversation on the same level as at a noisy bar.  I do like that.  I do really hate the idea that they want to cut the number of engines to 3 per driver per season though...

Changing tire regulations is usually like throwing the dice, so for those changes we'll simply have to see how they shake out.

The cars will have some dramatic changes in dimensions and tire size that should see more mechanical grip, and there is continuing discussion on how to improve the handling of a following car.  I've made my opinion clear on aero, so nothing more to say.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/36099501

[vintly]

The proposals are tabled to be ratified on Friday, but they aren't yet! What's the chance that everyone will be on the same page? I'm guessing there'll be a tweak or two to what's being proposed - if anything gets ratified at all.

On the sound of the cars, as you mention it, there's two aspects to the sound as I see it (or hear it I should say). One aspect is loudness, the other aspect is type of sound. I agree that the old V10s were almost too loud to listen to trackside when they were at full speed on the straight but not elsewhere on track. The best part of the old sound trackside was the sound of changing down through the gears before a tight corner, a deep bassy thumping sound - now you get a whistley-wheeeeee... which is rubbish in comparison. I don't mind the reduced loudness particularly, but the type of sound simply isn't thrilling. Interesting, not thrilling.

Berger has something to say about the power-to-grip ratio that makes sense, at least I think it does.

http://www.gpguide.com/News.aspx?articleId=MXwwNC8yNS8yMDE2IDAwOjAwOjAwfEYxIG11c3QgcmVjb25zaWRlciAncG93ZXIgdG8gZ3JpcCcgcmF0aW8gLSBCZXJnZXI=

[Scott]

The title indicated the ratification is a given.  Berger is right, but I don't think we need 2000hp engines, better to lose the downforce.

[cosworth151]

I miss being able to tell the engines apart by their sound, when a Ford-Cosworth V8 sounded distinctively different than a Ferrari V12 or an BRM H16. That's one reason why I like sports car racing so much.

I do find it kind of sad that modern F1 cars don't sound as good as what I hear on local dirt ovals on the week-ends.

[vintly]

... I don't think we need 2000hp engines, better to lose the downforce.

Agreed. I'm all for losing the front wing completely. Also make the brakes worse so the braking zone gets much longer, and there'll be more chances to under-brake and overtake.

[Irisado]

The rules were supposed to be ratified today, but the promoters failed to turn up, so nothing was agreed.

I'm broadly in favour of reverting, in effect, to the 1997 specification of Formula 1 car, but I strongly disapprove of the continuation of the restricted engine and gearbox numbers.

[Jericoke]

I miss being able to tell the engines apart by their sound, when a Ford-Cosworth V8 sounded distinctively different than a Ferrari V12 or an BRM H16. That's one reason why I like sports car racing so much.

I do find it kind of sad that modern F1 cars don't sound as good as what I hear on local dirt ovals on the week-ends.

When I was in Montreal last year I could hear the differences in engines.  Obviously I can't compare it with the old days when the engines were a mixed bag of configurations, but if you're tuned to engine noises, you could even tell the difference between works and customer teams.

I agree with Scott though, from a social aspect, being able to share my experience with the people around me was better than a 2 hour assault of noise.