Valencia’s first F1 race was not a classic. Looking at the rate the race poll it seems most people thought it was as boring as the Bahrain, Spanish and French Grands Prix. But let’s not jump to conclusions about the track. Circuit designer Hermann Tilke is not to blame for the paucity of action in … Continue reading Thought the Valencia race was rubbish? Don’t blame the track, blame the rules
f1 rules articles archive
Will the 2009 F1 rules allow Honda to catch McLaren, Ferrari & the rest?
Posted onNext year will see the biggest change in the technical regulations for some time. It’s certainly the greatest since the grooved tyre/narrow track switch in 1998, and perhaps the largest overhaul of the rules since turbo engines were banned after 1988. In 2009 F1 wing sizes will be reduced, movable front wing flaps allowed, slick … Continue reading Will the 2009 F1 rules allow Honda to catch McLaren, Ferrari & the rest?
Why have the teams formed their own group and what does it mean for F1?
Posted onFormula 1’s ten teams have formed a new group to represent their interests in the sport following a meeting at Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters. It looks like another move in the power games that have been going on between the sport’s regulators (the FIA), the commercial rights holders (FOM) and the teams, which intensified during the … Continue reading Why have the teams formed their own group and what does it mean for F1?
Adjustable wings – a change too far?
Posted onThe 2009 F1 rules are a source of great interest with several radical changes aimed at improving overtaking. Along with bring back slick tyres and reducing wing sizes, teams are expected to be allowed to use adjustable wings. I’m not a fan of the idea. What do you think of it? Cast your vote below…
Bridgestone to widen difference between tyres in 2009 – but how will we know?
Posted onSlick tyres are making their long-awaited return to Formula 1 next year. Drivers and fans have largely welcomed the return of proper racing tyres to F1. The FIA apparently intends to keep the rule requiring teams to use two different compounds per race. But in order to make this more of a challenge Bridgestone plans … Continue reading Bridgestone to widen difference between tyres in 2009 – but how will we know?
Bourdais unhappy with grooved tyres
Posted onWhen we debated Sebastien Bourdais here a few weeks ago there were some reservations about the quality of his performances since he scored on his Grand Prix debut in Australia. The Toro Rosso driver has hinted why he might be having difficulty settling into F1 after five years in Champ Car. He remarked he was … Continue reading Bourdais unhappy with grooved tyres
FIA set to allow tyre warmers in 2009
Posted onThe FIA is expected to back down from its proposed ban on tyre warmers for the 2009 F1 season at the World Motor Sports Council’s meeting on Wednesday. A ban on tyre warmers had been proposed for next year along with the re-introduction of slick tyres. However the FIA is now understood to believe that … Continue reading FIA set to allow tyre warmers in 2009
We are all weathermen now
Posted onWhat has been the biggest talking point on the Live Blogs during the past three races? Plenty has been said about the state of Lewis Hamilton’s driving and Max Mosley’s libido, but I think the most popular question is this: ?óÔé¼?ôIs it going to rain??óÔé¼?Ø
Engine rules and the F1 monopoly
Posted onOver at F1 Insight Clive is concerned about possible future F1 engine regulations: The FIA seem to want every engine involved to produce the same amount of power. Where is the logic in that unless what they really want is a spec formula? There are rumours the FIA wants to extend its control over F1 … Continue reading Engine rules and the F1 monopoly
New safety car rules for French GP
Posted onF1 is likely to have a new procedure in place for what drivers are supposed to do in the event of a safety car deployment in time for the next round at Magny-Cours. A trial of the new system will be held before the race. The plan is that, when the safety car is deployed, … Continue reading New safety car rules for French GP
Why do million-dollar F1 drivers keep making mistakes at red lights?
Posted onLewis Hamilton would be best advised to skip today’s newspapers. Unless he wants to read several unfortunate comparisons between his father’s prang in a Porsche last week and his crash with Kimi Raikkonen in the pits (see video here). Hamilton is not the only F1 driver to have messed up at a red light in … Continue reading Why do million-dollar F1 drivers keep making mistakes at red lights?
Tyre warmers set for 2009 ban
Posted onBridgestone is standing firm by its desire to see tyre warmers banned next year despite strong opposition from some teams and drivers. Director of motorsport tyre development Hirohide Hamashima said: Bridgestone has said to the FIA that we have confidence in (producing) a good specification of tyres, in terms of grip and handling, without tyre … Continue reading Tyre warmers set for 2009 ban
The foolishness of crowds
Posted onMark Webber is frustrated that Formula 1’s flawed safety car rules still haven’t been fixed – and he blames the team bosses for it: As far as I know, a solution is being worked on. But there needs to be unanimity and I have heard that some teams want to keep the current rules. I … Continue reading The foolishness of crowds
Video: the safety car rules danger
Posted onThere’s been an excellent discussion in the post on Nick Heidfeld’s misfortune in the Spanish Grand Prix about how the problematic safety car rules might be fixed. Part of the difficulty in finding a solution is how to safely slow down a pack of racing cars when the safety car is deployed. This video shows … Continue reading Video: the safety car rules danger
Bad safety car rules catch out Heidfeld
Posted onFormula 1’s ill thought-out safety car rules ruined Nick Heidfeld’s race today. The BMW driver was leading when the safety car came out following Heikki Kovalainen’s crash, and even though he had two laps of fuel to spare he was forced to pit while the pit lane was closed, meaning he incurred an unavoidable penalty. … Continue reading Bad safety car rules catch out Heidfeld
Important rules clarification in Spain
Posted onThe stewards at the Spanish Grand Prix made a decision this morning that every F1 driver will have to take notice of. In the GP2 sprint race they handed down a drive-through penalty to race leader Romain Grosjean for illegal defensive driving. It’s a topic that’s caused controversy in Formula 1 before and I’d be … Continue reading Important rules clarification in Spain
Problems with KERS and its impact on F1
Posted onMax Mosley has tried to shrug off growing demands for him to quit in the face of lurid revelations about his personal life and pushed ahead with his plans to introduce environmentally-friendly kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) in F1 from 2009. He has written to teams outlining a vision of how a more powerful KERS … Continue reading Problems with KERS and its impact on F1
The Ben Evans column: qualified failure
Posted onAnother week, another qualifying rules change, as F1 strives to create a made-for-TV-extravaganza that also produces a good race. The one-hour, 12 lap, sessions used to be cracking TV and a rare opportunity to see what the teams and drivers could conjure up when they focussed their efforts on a single banzai lap. Problem was … Continue reading The Ben Evans column: qualified failure
F1 gets eighth qualifying change since 2003
2008 F1 season
Posted onFormula One qualifying is set for yet another change in response to the dangerous incident in last week’s session which saw both McLaren drivers docked five places on the grid.
How teams dodge traction control ban
Posted onThe FIA are failing to make teams stick to the traction control ban according to ITV’s Ted Kravitz. The teams have been using special engine setting maps at the start of the races to simulate launch control and get their cars off the line as quickly as possible – and efforts to stop the practice … Continue reading How teams dodge traction control ban