The Changes For 2011 (Part 1 of 4): Regulations
With pre-season testing for the 2011 Formula One World Championship season just weeks away, fans and pundits across the world have regularly been “buoyed-up” by various media outlets available to the public about the changes announced for the year ahead. Numerous alterations within the paddock have been confirmed, leaving the viewers questioning the consequences of such change. In this four-part series, community member TH will explain the changes occurring for the 2011 season and the effects they may have for the spectator.
Adjustable Rear Wings
New for 2011, drivers will be able to adjust the angle of the rear wing throughout the race weekend, should their vehicle be equipped with the device. The ability to alter the drag-effect caused by the rear-end of the vehicle is permitted at any time during the practice and qualifying sessions, but will only be allowed to be utilised when pair of vehicles are within a second of each other during Sunday’s race. As well, the system can only be used at pre-designated points on the track. The system electronically re-adjusts the rear wing angle to its default position automatically once the brake pedal has been applied. Along with the re-introduction of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, this regulation has been created with the intention of boosting the rate at which on-track overtaking occurs. It is not a compulsory piece of bodywork.
Reintroduction of KERS
Developed by several teams during 2008 and 2009, the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) has been accepted back onto the grid by the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) organisation. The output of power, however, has been kept at the same 80-kilowatts permitted during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. This output, however, could potentially change in following seasons.
With refuelling now banned, engineers from all KERS-running teams will be forced to package the system into their vehicles, which now provide less available room, as fuel tank sizes have dramatically increased. The 2009 season showed that the Mclaren team were most capable of developing an efficient KERS system but, a year later, it is impossible to define which squad will have the upper-hand in 2011. The system can be used as both an overtaking and defending application. It has been heavily criticised by fans due to the latter. Like the adjustable rear wings, the KERS system is not compulsory.
No F-Duct
Banned for the 2011 season, the Mclaren-pioneered “F-duct” (or “RW80” to some) was quickly banned for any season post-2010. Having declared any device “which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car” illegal, the revolutionary – yet simple – design will not make an appearance in this years’ championship. This serves to disadvantage Mclaren, who held an advantage with the system over the field throughout the 2010 season.
Gearboxes Must Last Five Races
The FIA’s movement to a “greener” Formula One has once-again focused on unnecessary spending within the paddock. Changing from a required four races in 2010, drivers will be forced to run individual gearboxes for five consecutive races, lest they incur a 5-place grid penalty. This regulation change is almost certain to force drivers into being far-more conservative with their vehicle in the closing stages of the race.
107% Qualifying
Making its return after being removed from the regulations at the end of the 2002 season, the 107% rule is set to challenge lower-order teams during the first phase of qualifying. Should a driver set a time 7% slower than that of the provisional pole taker in Q1, they will be excluded from starting the race on Sunday. Exceptional circumstances may allow the inclusion of a particular driver or drivers. For example, should a driver set a time within 7% of the provisional pole time during any of the sessions of the weekend, they are likely to be permitted to start the race. The re-introduction of this rule is set to remove drivers considered a nuisance to the field, due to their un-competitiveness. Had the rule been in place in 2010, a total of 9 races would have started with less-than-full grids and would have resulted in 18 individual incidents of drivers being disallowed from competing.
Team Personnel Curfew
New to the 2011 season, team personnel working hours will be strictly regulated by race stewards. High-definition cameras placed appropriately in the team garage(s) will monitor movement within the buildings. Employees will not be permitted to access the vehicles, or equipment, between the hours of midnight and 6am when practice starts at 10am the following day, or between 1am and 7am when practice starts at 11am. However, each team is permitted four exceptions to this rule throughout the season. This rule was put in place to reduce the dangers of fatigued pit-crews during Sunday’s race.
Team Orders
Infamously showcased during the 2010 season, intra-team orders, which allow the potential manipulation of race results, have been permitted for 2011. This allows teams to instruct team-mates to allow each other past, should the pit-wall think it best for the team.
TH
The image accompanying this article has been sourced from it's respective owner and is subject to copyright. Images come courtesy of; mclaren.com, ferrari.com, redbull/getty, mercedesgp.com, forceindiaf1.com, renaultf1.com, toyota, bmw-sauber, williamsf1/lat, lotus and virgin.
Credit: The F1 Times (www.thef1times.com)
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