Nizer

Passing might not be improved but looks like we can expect a number of lap records to come under threat. Should at least make for exciting qualifying.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1...ms-fia-866178/

My993C2

Looking forward to watching some of the onboard footage from the new cars.

signes

Can't wait to see what they can do (and what they look like in motion.)

Coochas

That's an insane increase in corner speed. I agree qualifying should be cool.

ProCoach

That's a lot. Yes, there is more mechanical grip due to the wider tires, but all the track simulation data (supplied to the tracks) shows that it's the fast stuff that will be MUCH faster.

We'll see, soon enough!

jlanka

The 800 pound gorilla in this discussion...

multi21

I'm trying to figure out the rational in these changes in regs and the only thing I can think of is "If you increase mechanical grip, aero wash in the corners will be minimized for the trailing car. The trailing car will no longer drop back at corner entry and be closer to the lead car on corner exit and have advantage sooner for drafting to say nothing of the DRS being deployed..."

... of course I could be dead wrong and I don't think winter testing is going to reveal if this theory is correct. The first race at Albert Park may not test the theory as it's a street course with short corners and not real fast corners. Race #2 is in China at a proper track.

Coochas

I wonder what the cornering G's will be with these changes. 4.5?

ProCoach

AFAIK, hey're already there... more than that at corners like Copse and Turn 8 in Istanbul, I would think.

I have seen data indicating 4.8-4.9 from a Sauber several years ago.

ProCoach

Braking is what is amazing to me. Brembo engineers say 5.76-6.08 negative g's at the Hairpin at Shanghai...

Nizer

So that means driver's heads will be bobbing up and down even more in the cockpit.

multi21

Of course all this is a moot point during a race because of the fuel burn limits... so we'll have cars that theoretically can produce faster lap times, but the drivers will be held back by the pit wall to hit a certain lap time and drive 8/10ths.

ProCoach

That's not true. Paul Hembrey says the tires may be TOO good, and will last MUCH longer than the old ones. Also, Jean Todt is pushing hard for refueling! The Technical Working Group recommended it to. See here: https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/...races-in-2017/

multi21

Peter, I'd love to have your optimism, however, I'm a realist insofar as the nature of the FIA both in terms of political nature and technical regulations. For example, I'm not so concerned about tires as I am about fuel burn rate. Refueling is a complicated exercise with refueling rigs, nozzles, etc. The current cars are already passing FIA crash tests and there is NO WAY refueling can be reintroduced this late in the game. Further, you can't introduce larger fuel bladders into the design of the cars so we're stuck.. at the very least for a year. I'm sorry, but after Saturday qualifying, we as fans are going to be back to seeing a parade of cars vying to see who has the best fuel mileage.

I agree with Vettel in that article you posted insofar as there is more drag, which consumes more fuel, and drivers will be at a higher percentage of throttle through corners, which leads to more fuel consumption:

“The fuel consumption might go up because you have more drag, [but] equally, you go faster through the corners so it will be interesting to see on that front how it then translates to what we need to do in the car, whether we still keep saving fuel or if we can be flat out for the whole race.”

StoogeMoe

Pit crews are going to have to train harder. Bigger and heavier tires. Can they beat the record of 1.9 seconds?