F1 2014 regs

Skeeter · 22 Jul 2011 at 12:59

JHeaton said:
The only thing I could think of was that they wouldn't end up using the eighth gear at some circuits (Monaco, Hungary for example). It definitely sounds ridiculous, though.

Reading into it a bit more, it seems this is the case. The ratios will be fixed, but to allow this to cover all tracks the number of ratios is changed to 8. So yes, there will be tracks where 8th gear is not used.

I can see the thinking behind this. Teams wills start the season with a number of engines and gearboxes in crates that are all identical, and mechanically cannot be changed. This reduced costs and ensures parity between customer and factory teams gearboxes. But it just feels a bit odd.

Could we even see teams perhaps sacrificing races at one end or the other (Monaco/Monza) in order to gain small advantages for the other 19 or so races?

Skeeter · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:00

MeEsH BaKkA said:
Has anyone actualy bothered to read the technical regs?

There are no changes to the transmission rules.

Well clearly you haven't. The changes are even in bright pink so you can see them!

JHeaton · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:02

Skeeter said:
Could we even see teams perhaps sacrificing races at one end or the other (Monaco/Monza) in order to gain small advantages for the other 19 or so races?

Well, according to the regulations, they're allowed to change them once, so they might be able to find an acceptable balance for the first half of the season and then switch for the second half.

El_Watcher · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:03

AcidHell2 said:
And all the sponsors want to be seen to be green, so who's going to fund f1?
Surly you want fastest and in the near future that will be electric.

But being green is not really working for them is it.

How green is it to fly everyone from Australia to Malaysia and China at the start of the season, followed by jumping back and forth between Europe and Canada mid season, and then go back to the Far and Middle East at the end of the season.
Being green would suggest doing all Middle East races in a row, doing all Europe in a row, and all Far East in a row. Then maybe have other races linked (Aus, Canada and Brazil).

Plus having all these different tyres can't be the optimum for greenness. Have one tyre type for all races, so teams aren't wasting tyres running two laps in qually and then binning them.
Also if they make full wets, it would make sense to actually use them, rather than only have them behind the safety car.

Also continually changing rules between seasons also wastes money, as teams just have to throw away last years developed equipment when they make the new stuff.

Skeeter · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:04

JHeaton said:
Well, according to the regulations, they're allowed to change them once, so they might be able to find an acceptable balance for the first half of the season and then switch for the second half.

Thats only for 2014 though, as it will be a new regulation and there is bound to be someone who gets it wrong first time. From 2015 onwards there is no changes allowed.

For those wondering, this is the current gear ratio regulations:

9.6 Gear ratios :
9.6.1 The maximum number of forward gear ratios is 7.
9.6.2 The maximum number of numerical change gear ratio pairs a competitor has available to him during a
Championship season is 30. All such gear ratio pairs must be declared to the FIA technical delegate at or
before the first Event of the Championship.

Skeeter · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:08

El_Watcher said:
But being green is not really working for them is it.

How green is it to fly everyone from Australia to Malaysia and China at the start of the season, followed by jumping back and forth between Europe and Canada mid season, and then go back to the Far and Middle East at the end of the season.
Being green would suggest doing all Middle East races in a row, doing all Europe in a row, and all Far East in a row. Then maybe have other races linked (Aus, Canada and Brazil).

Plus having all these different tyres can't be the optimum for greenness. Have one tyre type for all races, so teams aren't wasting tyres running two laps in qually and then binning them.
Also if they make full wets, it would make sense to actually use them, rather than only have them behind the safety car.

Also continually changing rules between seasons also wastes money, as teams just have to throw away last years developed equipment when they make the new stuff.

1) F1 has been Carbon Neutral since the late 90's
2) Its a sporting event at the end of the day, not a Green Motoring expo
3) Contiunally changing rules? What, like the Engines which are the same as they have been using since 2005ish?
4) Tyres aren't binned after 2 laps in Qualifying. they are then used in the race. There is a limit to the number they have and they are struggling with that already.
5) F1 has to follow road car developments to stay relivent and also encourage road car manufacturers into the sport. Whether you like it or no, road cars are moving towards low capacity Turbo engines. F1, and all other motorsport, must, and is, following.

Just think about what your saying before saying it. Next you will be telling us all we should be using cars from 1950 on tracks only in the UK with no development or changing anything allowed, and races are only 10 laps to save fuel.

Glaucus · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:09

El_Watcher said:
But being green is not really working for them is it.

did you read the quote, it's about being seen to be green and pushing green technology. Not actually being green.

So am I reading this right?
At present that have to declare gear ratios before first race but are allowed to change those. Ratios 30 times in a season.
Then in 2014 they have to declare rations before first race and are allowed just one change
Then in 2015 they have to declare before first race and zero changes.

Flibster · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:15

Sam Michael just confirmed - Using the same gear ratios for the entire year.
Same ratios in the box for Monaco and Monza

Hmmm...

Skeeter · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:17

AcidHell2 said:
did you read the quote, it's about being seen to be green and pushing green technology. Not actually being green.

So am I reading this right?
At present that have to declare gear ratios before first race but are allowed to change those. Ratios 30 times in a season.
Then in 2014 they have to declare rations before first race and are allowed just one change
Then in 2015 they have to declare before first race and zero changes.

Yes.

They are talking about 2014 on R5LSX now. The 8 fixed ratios rule will work with the Turbo engines as they provide a flat torque curve. Sam Michael thinks that at some tracks they will only use 6 of the 8 ratios. He also thinks electric only pitlanes are fine for entering the pits. The challenge comes in using just electric motors to pull away from stationary and accelerate to 60mph.

Mr Jack · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:22

AcidHell2 said:
So am I reading this right?
At present that have to declare gear ratios before first race but are allowed to change those. Ratios 30 times in a season.

I think it says they have a "palette" of 30 ratios chosen before the season begins. They then select 7 ratios from that set of 30 to put into their car at each race.

Skeeter · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:27

I think its 30 sets of complete ratios (all 7 gears). Either way its a fairly large spread to loose.

Kerming · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:55

this is such a joke........

The_Abyss · 23 Jul 2011 at 07:37

Would they be able to map the engines differently, essentially moving the peak power across the rev band? So the power could be compressed up to 12,000 rpm for the slower circuits, allowing use of all the gears?

Or is that just nonsense?

Reaper 392 · 23 Jul 2011 at 12:28

the fixed ratios will not affect the cars very much in 2014. in FP2 and FP3 the commentators and technical director said that the 2011 engines have very peaky power, so need a perfect set of gear ratios, and anything less will be a serious disadvantage. the 2014 engines have a very flat power curve over several thousand RPM, so the fixed ratios will not be so much of a hit on performance.

they also said that, yes, in some tracks like monaco they will probably only use 6 gears of the 8

Skeeter · 23 Jul 2011 at 13:36

To answer Abyss, I would think with the engine maps and the turbo they could move the power around to fit the track through the fixed gears.

Skeeter · 22 Oct 2012 at 23:31

Old thread but didn't want to post a new one for one picture. Just saw this from Scarbs.

I knew the 2014 regs had lower noses, but didn't realise they were this low!

http://scarbsf1.com/blog1/2012/10/01/2013-technical-regulation-changes/

185mm max height. Its going to be back to early 90s style. Its significantly lower than the Brawn in 2009!

Skeeter · 22 Oct 2012 at 23:41

A mock up of a 2014 nose.

Low nose is low.

PinkFloyd · 22 Oct 2012 at 23:45

I like it!

Just a few other things to change and F1 cars will look awesome again

FrankJH · 22 Oct 2012 at 23:52

Skeeter said:
.

Flexiwing strikes again

(Im only kidding btw)

Glaucus · 22 Oct 2012 at 23:53

PinkFloyd said:
I like it!

Just a few other things to change and F1 cars will look awesome again

This, can we also bring back technology advancement.
For a start de limit KERS. If you can generate enough power to use it 30 seconds a lap then great.also like the must use KERS in pit lane, it insure everyone has it working and makes it integral.