An end to F1 suckage?

Newswheel staff :: 24 October 2005 :: Filed under F1

New technical regulations to boost overtaking

F1 surely makes an excellent case for itself as the world’s worst racing series. The drivers are almost uniformly overpaid sourpusses. The series is run by a despotic duo (Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone) who appear to think they are engaged in a titanic geopolitical struggle for the future of the human race, rather than running an over-hyped, under performing bunch of car races. And of course, the technical and race weekend regulations are a bad joke. Who on earth thought narrow-bodied cars with huge wings, grooved tyres and a total inability to overtake was a good idea? As for the utter debacle that has been F1’s ever-changing qualifying format, well, the less said the better.

But with attendances at blue riband F1 races including Spa and Monza dropping to 60,000 this season, the FIA has finally smelt the coffee. A new aerodynamic concept (shown above), designed to reintroduce the novel concept of overtaking to F1 races, was shown off in London by the FIA today. Current F1 cars have become heavily reliant on aerodynamic, rather than mechanical, grip. Consequently, the cars require undisturbed air to generate maximum downforce and cornering grip. Which in turn makes following closely behind in the “dirty air” of another car through a corner and therefore getting close enough to make a stab down the inside on the next straight near enough impossible. And that makes for depressingly dull racing.

However, the centreline downwash generating wing (CDG) shown today splits the existing rear air dam in two, allowing a channel of largely undisturbed air to pass over the bulk of the chassis. In theory the cleaner, neater wake generated will enable following cars to run in much closer proximity. The new wing is also said to reduce downforce by around 50 per, and in concert with a return to wider slick tyres will shift the emphasis back to mechanical grip – again, making overtaking much more likely.

The CDG wing is expected to form part of the 2008 technical regulations, but the FIA’s supreme being Max Mosley suggested it could be introduced as early as 2007. Here’s hoping.