Introduction to 2009

[Wizzo]

The sport of Formula One is always in perpetual motion, as is evidenced by the teams always testing future setups, the FIA and their regulations, and also Bernie Eccelstone always throwing a fit when it comes to bringing the sport into new markets and stripping some of the most hallowed tracks in Europe and North America of their races.

Little known events occurred at the Barcelona test one week before the Spanish Grand Prix. Some of the teams took part in simulation runs of the new 2009 package and regulations. The 2009 regulations will change the sport quite a bit and usher in a new, exciting era into the sport, and it could not have come at a better time.

Formula One is arguably THE most watched sport in the world, with the exception of the FIFA World Cup which only occurs every four years. Nearly every country tunes in to watch Sunday grand prix and about 55 million people watch on any given weekend. In the early 2000s during the dominance of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, however, TV ratings dropped. People would just tune in and see Schumacher winning the race and then they would just simply switch the channel to something else. Now Schumacher is in his second year of retirement and the sport is completely wide open for the taking.

A few years back the FIA and F1 Racing polled fans about what they would like to see more of on the track. An overwhelming percentage of 94% of fans said that they would like to see more overtaking in the sport. The FIA seems to agree and has kindly responded with new regulations for the 2009 season.

The three main introductions (or reintroductions) for the 60th Formula One World Championship will hopefully greatly improve the chances of overtaking. Bridgestone will shod the cars with racing slicks, a first since they were banned in 1998. The FIA is also standardising and regulating parts of the aerodynamics as well. To further sweeten and ice the cake the new Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) device will be fitted onto the cars allowing them and extra 80 horsepower boost when used right.

Teams that tested the 2009 regulations did not run an actual 2009 package. All they did was simulate with the current 2008 package. Like all things now in Formula One, the teams began testing the 09 Package in computer simulations and wind tunnels. Tests were showing the restricted downforce was going to cost the cars about a 3 second deficit. By allowing racing slicks back on the cars it will give the cars back about 2 seconds, leaving approximately a 1 second decrease in lap times, and knowing the engineers they will magically find some of that 1 second by tinkering with the aero they are given to mess with.

What’s so different about the new aero package for next year are three things. First the middle part of the front wing will be homogenised on every car which will be less aerodynamically effective than the current wings. Barge boards on the side and winglets on the top will also be strictly regulated, further hindering the car’s speed. It will all be counteracted by an underbody diffuser which will greatly offset the turbulence that affects a car. Since the air under the car will not be as turbulent then it will not create a rift in the back of the car. That means the cars will be able to drive closer behind the rear wing and make overtaking a little more easier to do.

With some of the aero gone it will make the car not grip as much as usual, as evidenced by the 3 second deficit. To make up for it the FIA is allowing slick tires for the first time in more than a decade to be used. The slicks will generate better grip than the current treaded tire. The grip from the new tires and the lack of downforce from the aerodynamics will enable drivers to outbrake each other while going into turns, something not as easy to do with the treads.

To throw a hard slider to the drivers, the new KERS system is also being introduced. The recovery system is not ready yet and was the only part of the 09 package that was not simulated during the tests. The system is designed to recover and store the energy from braking and will be used as a power boost to aid the drivers in overtaking. When a driver pushes the KERS button on the wheel, it will give him an 80 horsepower burst for about 6 seconds. When the stored energy is used up, it will take an additional lap to store the 295 feet per pounds of force.

Formula One will be a different looking machine next year. Will it be for the best or worse? Everything looks good in theory, but can sometimes be messed up in practice. Right now the new regulations look like they will deliver a great beneficial impact upon the sport. With the old rules of letting the teams usually do what they want with the car under loose regulations, the teams usually with the big pocketbook were the ones that came out on top. By “collectivising” some of the rules there should be more competition. The drivers and teams will no longer have to worry about putting on a “hard” or “soft” compound tire during the race either.

It will be interesting to see the strategies that the drivers will use when overtaking someone. The drivers will have to be calculating and strategic in their moves. The KERS will also have a profound effect. A defensive driver will have to time his 80hp boost with the attacking driver in order to keep his position. With the slicks it will be cool to see the outbraking manoeuvres while entering the turn.

Personally I believe the changes can't come soon enough.

[Ian]

Suppose you thought that was funny Wiz 

[cosworth151]

I welcome the return of the slicks, but I like the two tire compounds. I'll miss the areo goodies, though. They give each of the cars a distinctive look.

As for the KERS, the idea of a short burst of extra power sounds like a good idea. Somehow, though, it seems like I've heard of that somewhere before. If only I could remember.....

[raindancer]

While the FIA is trying to get or keep more people tuned into F1, these regulations on the Aero bit is retrograde. In my opinion the whole concept of F1 is that it is the pinnacle in motor racing and any attempt to regulate it is not a very good idea.
The only thing they should do is to insist on safety and leave the rest to the teams.

[John S]

Yeah I am with Raindancer on this. Lets have slicks and even KERS to give a boost, but leave the teams free to get the most they can from areo and anywhere else. F1 has always been about the best and cleverest constructors and innovation has been the biggest part of making the sport what it is.

[Steven Roy]

Aero has been limited since high wings were banned and it has to be.  Otherwise we would still have sliding skirts and ground effect.  Complex aero devices stop overtaking and acing and we need more of both.

I don't like KERS and the idea of a push to pass button has no place in F1.  Overtaking should be accomplished by good driving not by pressing a button at a different time to someone else.

Slicks are a good idea and should never have been dropped in the first place.

[Dare]

Advancement is good but I don't think anyone wants
a computer driven car that doesn't need a driver.

Sometimes the good ol days were indeed that

[Scott]

As for the P2P button, I'd rather wait to see if the new aero rules make it easier to pass first.  How many times have we heard that it will be better next year, only to have the same old dullsville.  Maybe it will be the only answer.

[raindancer]

The point in my opinion is that standardizing to make the races more attractive will spell the end of F1 in the long run. After a while it will become a single seater racing category with everyone having the same specs.
That is not what we want. There are different people out there developing cars and they should be allowed to develop them and see them perform on the race track. I also do not think there is any danger of cars being computer driven. A Fighter jet has all the state of the art electronics and systems and still needs a pilot to fly it.
trying to standardize is not the way to go about it.