F1 2014
The old engines are thrown out, aerodynamics have been severely restricted, the point system has been overhauled and all cars now have a powerful hybrid electric power train. These massive changes mean that the old driving styles, well established race strategies and even the way the cars look, will be noticeably different. Thus there is no way to predict from the trends of recent seasons, how the 2014 year will shape out to be in the world of F1. Thus there is a pall of uncertainty and pent up tension in the F1 fanbase in the build up to the opening race season. It is totally unknown as to how the new regulations will affect the entertainment value of the sport.
The biggest changes are to the power train of the cars - the naturally aspirated V8s which have been used since 2006 are banned, and V6 turbo engines are back for the first time since 1988. Furthermore, the cars are now mandated to run a powerful electric motor to supplement the engine. This means that engines are set to become a much more important performance differentiator than they have been in recent years, for not only are they required to be powerful, they must also be fuel efficient, and be part of a well packaged racecar, have reliable cooling and of course, be light. All these factors will have knock on effects upon the aerodynamics, weight distribution and race strategy.
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The next set of major regulation changes are the ones affecting the aerodynamics of the car, which have already proven to radically change the appearance of the cars. The most major changes are to the front wing, beam wing and the nose. The front wing has been narrowed to reduce front downforce, the beam wing (a second wing below the main rear wing) has been omitted and the nose has been lowered. The result is that engineers have been working desperately to recover the lost downforce, which has resulted in some very drastic and downright unappealing design choices. Most of the cars have chosen to comply with the rules by employing drastically narrow noses, which optimizes the airflow but makes the cars look…phallic. Lotus has gone with a split nose, while the Ferrari F14T looks like it has a vacuum cleaner up front. Quite frankly, while most fans would agree that variety is good, a variety of sheer ugliness is an indication that someone in the rules committee made a mistake.
There has also been a massive change to the points system, with double points being awarded for the last race, with the intention of keeping fans entertained till the final corner. Though this may seem like a good business idea, in terms of sportsmanship and fairness it is an utter disaster. A driver who has dominated the season and won more races, may lose the championship in the last race, simply because of bad luck, such as an accident causing him to retire. Therefore, the championship becomes not about the best team and driver, but rather about who's lucky enough to exploit the points system. Furthermore, the last race is to be held at Abu Dhabi, which is as boring as a circuit can be, rather than a legendary venue such as Suzuka or Spa. This is an indication that a certain amount of Arab oil money was used to influence the double points rule.
However, despite what we already know about the powertrain, aerodynamic and sporting changes, its still impossible to make any predictions regarding the races, or what the fans will think of the season. One thing is for sure, not all changes were positive. The ugly cars of 2014 will not inspire awe in ten year olds, nor inspire the aesthetics of productions supercars. Nor will the double points for the last race lend credibility to a sport already notorious for political battles overshadowing the actual races. Yet one can still hope that the races will be entertaining in terms of on-track action, brilliant strategic maneuvering and inspiring performances by the best drivers in the world.
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