F1 - the next 5 years

Devon

Devon

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Formula One - the next five years


Bio fuel, turbos and four-race engines among future plans

08 December 2006

The FIA has published an agenda outlining the dramatic changes to Formula One racing?s technical regulations that are expected to come into force over the next five years. The plans, drawn up in agreement with the Grand Prix Manufacturers Association (GPMA), will see drastic cuts in downforce levels and an increasing emphasis on the recycling of waste energy.

The objectives of the changes (detailed in full below) will be to promote research relevant to the motor industry (and society in general), to eliminate developments which do not meet these criteria, to reduce costs while improving cost effectiveness and to keep, and augment, the image and excitement of Formula One racing as the world?s leading motorsport category.

The first visible change to the cars could come as soon as 2008, when aerodynamic aids on the main bodywork - barge boards, winglets, chimneys etc - may be outlawed. Plans to introduce new wings designed specifically to improve overtaking have been delayed until 2009 to allow for further investigation. Totally standardised aerodynamics could become reality in 2010.

Devices to reuse the energy generated by the braking process could become compulsory in 2009, while from 2010 teams will have to find ways of harnessing waste heat to help propel their cars. This could in turn see the return of turbocharging in 2011, when engines powered by bio fuel will have to last for four, rather than two, race weekends.

As stressed by the FIA, a number of these points, particularly those from 2010 onwards, will require careful examination with the GPMA and detailed input from car industry experts.

The agenda in full:

2007
- regulations are already published
- (existing 2.4 litre engine remains ?frozen?);

2008
- regulations as published but possible elimination of aerodynamic appendices (barge boards, winglets, chimneys, etc) forward of rear wheel centreline and behind front wheel centreline (subject to unanimous agreement of competing teams);
- possible sporting regulations to restrict the use of wind tunnels and/or models for use in wind tunnels and/or test rigs (subject to the consent of a majority of competing teams);
- (existing 2.4 litre engine remains frozen)

2009
- energy recovery and re-use from braking
- reduction of 50% of downforce
- aerodynamic and other changes to facilitate overtaking
- existing 2.4 litre engine remains frozen or, possibly, a four-race drive train (engine and transmission)

2010
- a proportion of waste heat recovered and used to propel the car
- a proportion of waste energy from exhaust gases recovered and used to propel the car
- wholly or partially standardised aerodynamics (or, possibly, new rules to encourage road-relevant research into aerodynamics)
- (existing 2.4 litre engine remains frozen, or, if applicable, four-race drive train remains frozen)

2011
- perhaps a new four-race engine including:
- high-efficiency turbocharging
- fuel (energy) flow limits
- direct injection
- downsizing so as to ensure very high (15000+) rpm
- bio fuels (possible freedom to use any bio fuel, with a limited maximum energy flow rate rather than a maximum fuel flow rate)
- perhaps a new approach to the chassis with:
- further reductions in downforce
- greater emphasis on cornering performance and handling by means of chassis, suspension, and brake management
- complete freedom to use electronics to make the car more energy-efficient (drive train, etc, management)
- possibly also free up driver-aid electronics
- materials - limitations on materials to bring them more into line with those used in road cars
- other road-relevant technologies

2012
- new engine as above
- It is proposed that the foregoing should be a basis for discussion. There may be other interesting and important technologies as well as areas of research which are not mentioned.
Everything will be on the principle that new technologies, or rather the relevant devices, shall be freely available for sale to any team which wants them at an easily affordable price.
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Source
 
Finally something starts to happen, F1 was to become historical engineering museum without those changes.
 
I hope that they decide to allow them to race V10's again in the future. The idea of full slicks coming back in 2008 is good isnt it :D
 
It was about time for F1 to adopt bio fuel technologies. F1 has always been the greatest tech lab possible for manufacturers, and now it seens that the good old times where something developed in the circuits become viable to street use are back.
 
they're ruinning Formula 1! there should be no restrictions at all.
 
Restrictions are eased with those new rules. More room for innovation.
 
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m102486 said:
they're ruinning Formula 1! there should be no restrictions at all.
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There is no doubt in my mind that the engineers would be capable of making a car that would be able to break the sound barrier from a standing start in under 3seconds if there was no restrictions. =D
 
Its a start - I'd love to see more deregulation. Just my modest opinion, and I'm sure they have their reasons - but why not say engines have to last 4 races, and thats it - let them be free to use what they like. I want to see big V8s against v10s and turbo 4s - like a Baja - a free for all. Set limits based on the objective - not the method.

You want them to engineer economy technology - mess with the total amout of fuel they can use in a race. I can't see what they could do w/ regenerative braking. Instead of standardizing how the aero is done - just set a maximum for downforce - no more than x-lbs (or whatever you measure it in)
 
A lot of it is totally up in the air, so I wouldn't read too much into it - but interesting to see where they want to take the sport.

I can't see standardised aerodynamics ever occuring though, which is a relief.
 
Narcolepsy said:
Its a start - I'd love to see more deregulation. Just my modest opinion, and I'm sure they have their reasons - but why not say engines have to last 4 races, and thats it - let them be free to use what they like. I want to see big V8s against v10s and turbo 4s - like a Baja - a free for all. Set limits based on the objective - not the method.
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My thoughts exactly. I like the bio-fuels, but the standardized body work worries me. At least alot of it has yet to be agreed upon.
 
F1 was always more heavily reliant on engineering anyway, this I feel is a great opportunity for those enginerds.
Hopefully i'll be one of them :p
 
trionic said:
Restrictions are eased with those new rules. More room for innovation.
Click to expand...

But restrictions bring innovation. If there were no restrictions, everyone would just make more powerful engines and spend very little time on aerodynamics or tyres etc.
 
m102486 said:
they're ruinning Formula 1! there should be no restrictions at all.
Click to expand...

I 100% agree with that. I watch F1 to see the peak of what cars can do, in all areas. I want to see manufacturers and possible some privateers to make the fastest car possible. You could add things like a engine that has to last the whole season, or bio-fuel, but the technology should be free to make advances in these areas. Don't limit the cars, set them free to do the laps times that technology allows.
 
I don't like the whole bio-fuel idea. I support it only if they intend to use bio-DIESEL, but that IMO is not an option in F1. Bio-methanol, for me, is not an option for cars, as it will use too much water, space and food to produce.
As for the other ideas, let's give them some time to work on them. I'm skeptical but something good could come out of them.
 
who exactly favors the restrictions whose making this happen? I can't image the teams or the fans wanting standardized aero or that regenerative power thing. Usually the rival agendas are leveling the playing field, making it competitive vs encouraging innovation which favors the richer more powerful teams. Smart people run F1, these don't seem to favor either.
 
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