F1 Cars To Undergo Design Changes
F1 cars are set for more radical design changes in time for 2013 as the teams look to make the sport more efficient and potentially more exciting.
Cars will have much smaller wings and specially-shaped underfloors designed to generate downforce differently. They will use 35% less fuel and be a little slower but more challenging to drive, although passing may be easier.
Drawn up by respected engineers Patrick Head and Rory Byrne, the rules would be the biggest design change since 1983.
The draft regulations, which were requested by governing body the FIA, are to be sent to teams this week ahead of a meeting in January of F1’s Technical Working Group (TWG), which scopes out rule changes.
The TWG, which includes the design heads of each team, will discuss the proposals and suggest any changes they feel might need to be made. But the fundamental philosophy that has been created is expected to remain intact.
Head, director of engineering for Williams, and Byrne, a former chief designer for Ferrari, have between them been involved in the design of cars that have won 17 constructors’ titles for Williams, Benetton and Ferrari.
The pair started work on the new rules in March and have now presented a set of draft regulations to FIA race director Charlie Whiting, who will finalise them before sending them off to the teams.
