Should we have more low downforce tracks on the calendar?

[Gerhard Berger]

At the moment we only have Monza, and maybe Spa/Montreal. All the new tracks coming out seem to have a mandatory tight/twisty section to it. Do you think some of the new tracks should be circuits with predominantly long straights ?

[WhiteBlue]

Bernie is behind this. He needs good shots of the car in slow motion for the sponsors. It will be a bitch to get such circuits against him. Look at what he did to Hockenheim. That used to be a proper high speed track. All sacrificed for television purposes and busted the promoter on top of effing up the circuit.

[bhall]

Where do you come up with that ---? Does it just fall out of the sky?

In 2014, downforce will be reduced to Monza-type levels. So, every track will soon be a low-downforce track

[Mafia]

I dont mind the tracks, but would like to see the cars with less downforce. let them narrow and raise the front wing, lower the rear wing and get the 3 ltr 10 cylenders motors back with groved tires =D>

[WhiteBlue]

I..like to see the cars with less downforce. let them narrow and raise the front wing....

Front wings are going to be narrower which will help reduce wing and tyre damage in collisions. The noses will radically come down from 550 mm to 185 mm. That will be very different and have impact on the air flow under the car and the diffusor. The beam wing will be outlawed and the rear wing element height reduced. Cars will generally look flatter. We can expect shorter engines, bulkier side pots with inter coolers fitted and a generally higher rear end because the turbo must find a place above the gear box. So I guess the 2014 cars will look flatter, shorter, wider and fatter around the engine section. That should be some departure from the current recipe.

[Nando]

What´s great is that we will have a new "2009" in terms of the general design of the aerodynamics.

The evolution in aerodynamics from 2009 to 2012 for most teams (red bull sort of got the hang of it pretty early) change quite dramatically from pretty much a plank similar to HRT all the way to these complex geometric 3D shapes we see now in front wings.

Edit: Also, i wonder if given time, they will manage to claw back the downforce loss.

[turbof1]

What´s great is that we will have a new "2009" in terms of the general design of the aerodynamics.

The evolution in aerodynamics from 2009 to 2012 for most teams (red bull sort of got the hang of it pretty early) change quite dramatically from pretty much a plank similar to HRT all the way to these complex geometric 3D shapes we see now in front wings.

Edit: Also, i wonder if given time, they will manage to claw back the downforce loss.

They will not. The current generation never got back to the 2008 df levels. With even more stringent rules I doubt they will even reach 2009 df levels.
That is of course if the FIA doesn't become more lenient in certain areas. A real shame actually. Eventually nothing will be left for the teams to develop. Absolutely nothing, as the engine development, if that is going to be allowed in the first place, is solely something the manufacturers.

[WhiteBlue]

One of the big open questions are the wheels. Will we have 19" wheels as the tyre firms were demanding for a long time? That should have a massive impact on looks. But I suspect that the teams will try to push this change away. Too costly and risky to introduce with so much other change.

[Ogami musashi]

The new tracks are designed to accomodate F1 cars with 30 years of progresses in aerodynamics, suspensions, gearboxes and tyres..running current cars on older track make little sense.

As for 2014 regs..We'll see, the actual one are draft as far as aerodynamics are concerned.

[Nando]

running current tracks on older track make little sense.

I agree 100%

[Jersey Tom]

One of the big open questions are the wheels. Will we have 19" wheels as the tyre firms were demanding for a long time? That should have a massive impact on looks. But I suspect that the teams will try to push this change away. Too costly and risky to introduce with so much other change.

I recall it being 1 tire supplier talking about 18" wheels, and that was at the time the Bridgestone contract was up. Was the only way Michelin would venture back to the sport.

[WhiteBlue]

17, 18 or 19" makes no big difference. The point is that it would be massively different from what we have at the moment.

[Jersey Tom]

Sure, certainly. Point I was trying to make was that it was just 1 company, 1 time.. rather than something that all tire suppliers have been up in arms about for a while.

[WhiteBlue]

Tom, I'm not so sure that Pirelli did not chase the same segment. It is where they make the most money I understand. They were less vocal with their demands than Michelin which was also true for the demand for competition. Michelin shot themselves in the foot. They could have easily been the exclusive suppliers without that condition.
Source for Pirelli looking for 18 inch:
http://www.crash.net/f1/news/158988/1/1 ... relli.html

[Jersey Tom]

That's a fair point. It does make manufacturing easier, but IMO that's about it.

Michelin could have been the sole supplier easily, yes, I agree. Any number of companies could have. Ultimately none of them were that interested. Too expensive for what it offers, which is why Bridgestone left and put their money elsewhere. I don't think Michelin is thinking they shot themselves in the foot. Keeping 18" manufacturing equipment would have made it a little bit easier pill to swallow, but I believe they were also asking to be paid development money as well. I could be wrong on that.

In any event I'm not sure larger bead diameter wheels (and tires) would be a good thing for the sport. Not sure it would be a bad thing either. Different, yes.