Ross Brawn says F1 cars from 2021 need to look sensational, like 'video games'

[Tim.Wright]

Open wheels and wings were both adopted for performance reasons, not aesthetic reasons. That they might be considered "essential" components today is a different issue.

Wings, yea. Open wheels, no way. Open wheels contribute nothing but parasitic drag and lift.

F1 cars would be closed bodywork if it weren't for abritrary rules maintaining that the wheels are visible for pure traditional/aesthetic reasons.

[Andres125sx]

The same as open cockpits, only there for aesthetic reasons even when they add significant amounts of drag to the car, but people who consider himself as purists take it as a must for a F1 car....

But I think people get confused with this debate. The aesthetics debate is not really about aesthetics. People know cars evolve, but F1 keep same format/shape/aesthetics since the 80´s. No drastic changes in almost 40 years, and that´s odd for a motorsport wich has always been considered the pinnacle of motorsports

Is it possible for a motorsport to be the pinnacle while keeping same format/aesthetics for 40 years? IMHO, no way, people like to see some evolution, and lately F1 is becoming some sort of vintage series with frozen rules for decades.

Just an example, nowadays even a modest sporty commuter use active aerodynamics, but in F1 they´re forbidden (please don´t mention DRS, that´s an insult) because they´re considered dangerous... Yeah the pinnacle of motorsports wich can´t match what production cars offer for years...


I think that´s the debate, frozen rules, not aesthetics

[garyjpaterson]

So I take it this is what Ross Brawn is after? Should I send him my CV?

[Just_a_fan]

Open wheels and wings were both adopted for performance reasons, not aesthetic reasons. That they might be considered "essential" components today is a different issue.

Wings, yea. Open wheels, no way. Open wheels contribute nothing but parasitic drag and lift.

F1 cars would be closed bodywork if it weren't for abritrary rules maintaining that the wheels are visible for pure traditional/aesthetic reasons.

Open wheels predate aero understanding by many years though. 1911 or something like that at the first Indy 500. Chosen, no doubt, to save the weight of wheel guards.

If we were going purely on drag reduction we'd have something like LMP1 without a barn door rear wing.

[GM7]

This is because at the time they didn't understand very well the aerodynamic and carbon fiber wasn't use on the cars. So they prefered to make an open wheeler to save weight.
But if you let the nowadays ingeners build a car without rules, they will automaticaly build a close wheeler, i'm quite sure that a Formula One with closed wheels can reech more than 400kph on every race track.
By the way it could be a very good way to reduce dirty air, but everyone will complain about the Formula 1 DNA...

[Manoah2u]

i'll repeat that ancient mercedes f1 cars also were made with wheel covers. nothing new. even the aeroscreen is not new (canopy).

there are motorbikes with a full canopy around it, that goes way faster than a standard issue motogp racer. it's not used in motogp for a reason.

[ringo]

This might sound silly, but F1 cars would be more appealing with headlights.
Lights would add a lot of character to the cars. even though they don't have much need for them.
Also exposed cockpit, a kind of carbon tube frame, which you can see the all of the driver's body as he operates the pedals and the wheel.

[djos]

This might sound silly, but F1 cars would be more appealing with headlights.
Lights would add a lot of character to the cars. even though they don't have much need for them.
Also exposed cockpit, a kind of carbon tube frame, which you can see the all of the driver's body as he operates the pedals and the wheel.

You're correct, it does sound silly.

[f1316]

Spec Active aero, only to be used within what we now call DRS zone (with DRS itself removed) would be an obvious solution to the overtaking issue.

I know that was tried, to some extent , in 2009 with the adjustable front wing, but they let teams decide how to use it, rather than having strict parameters of what it must do (ala DRS).

So you could potentially nix the whole reimagining of F1 aero rules and design a fit for purpose DACS (dirty air compensation device) that could be used to increase downforce through corners to a prescribed amount.

Not a new idea, I know, and still a kind of ‘bandaid’ but seems more logical than DRS.

[marmer]

This might sound silly, but F1 cars would be more appealing with headlights.
Lights would add a lot of character to the cars. even though they don't have much need for them.
Also exposed cockpit, a kind of carbon tube frame, which you can see the all of the driver's body as he operates the pedals and the wheel.

The only sense to this would be if F1 did 24 hour racing where teams entered one car driven by both drivers and young driver.

Would be quite exciting at le Man's to see F1 cars Vs prototype

[nim_peter]

I feel with the current aero regulations it is not possible to improve racing. Either they should start designing new tracks revolving around the current aero concept and start moving towards it, or a simple solution, unlimited fuel flow and boost. I would like to see drivers being greedy, pushing too hard to overtake only for their engine to blow or no fuel to finish the race. Something like Paul walker double punching and frying his internals in F&F, adds lot of spice and unpredictability to racing.

[digitalrurouni]

I feel with the current aero regulations it is not possible to improve racing. Either they should start designing new tracks revolving around the current aero concept and start moving towards it, or a simple solution, unlimited fuel flow and boost. I would like to see drivers being greedy, pushing too hard to overtake only for their engine to blow or no fuel to finish the race. Something like Paul walker double punching and frying his internals in F&F, adds lot of spice and unpredictability to racing.

Agreed1

[Just_a_fan]

Would be quite exciting at le Man's to see F1 cars Vs prototype

I reckon an LMP1 car would win every time at Le Mans. For F1 to live on the straights, they'd have to run Monza style downforce. They'd then be dead meat in the more technical bits like Porsche curves.

Be an interesting exercise to watch.

[JonoNic]

Would be quite exciting at le Man's to see F1 cars Vs prototype

I reckon an LMP1 car would win every time at Le Mans. For F1 to live on the straights, they'd have to run Monza style downforce. They'd then be dead meat in the more technical bits like Porsche curves.

Be an interesting exercise to watch.

Current tyres of an F1 car would be too cold when they reach the Porsche curves

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[NathanOlder]

The back straight at China must be comparable to the 3 straights at LaMans ? And they have no problems at the hairpin at the end.