The meeting of the F1 Strategy Group and the F1 Commission were yesterday held in Geneva, with “a number of constructive proposals” being agreed. The big change in the immediate future is the qualifying format, which is as revealed yesterday. The new system will be evaluated for introduction “potentially as soon as the beginning of the 2016 season”.
There will be a new Driver of the Day award, with viewers being encouraged to vote online during each Grand Prix with the announcement being made after the race and a prize being presented. This is similar to many other Player of the Game style awards that are widespread in other sports.
The decisions about 2017 sporting and technical regulations have been delayed until the end of April. There are proposals for new bodywork, with more downforce, to increase speeds and lower lap times. Whether this will help overtaking remains to be seen. The proposals include wider cars, front tyres going from 245mm to 305mm, rear tyres from 325mm to 405mm, track from 1800mm to 2000mm, wider front wings from 1650mm to 1800mm, rear wings from 750mm to 950mm, but lower, 800mm high rather than 950mm, plus bigger diffusers, starting further forward, to create more ground-effect and an increase in weight by 20kg to 722kgs. The underfloors will also be changed.
In relation to engines, progress was made with regard to engine supply costs, the obligation to supply, performance convergence and further improvement in noise. The goal is to have agreements by the end of April. The Commission also confirmed that it intends to introduce cockpit protection in 2017, the “halo” concept being the favoured option at the moment.
joeblogsf1 
“The decisions about 2017 sporting and technical regulations have been delayed until the end of April.”
Did they really get all 11 teams to agree to that extension?
No, just the six teams in the F1 Strategy Group as far as I know.
I am incorrect. The decision to postpone was made by the F1 Commission in which all teams have a vote.
I think we just need 2 new rules. 1 – FOM can only charge a track a maximum of 50% of the actual ticket receipts. 2. All races must be shown on free to air TV and be posted on YouTube.
1 would grantee only popular venues get races and 2 is just so bleedin’ obvious.
Hi Joe, I like the driver of the day award but shouldn’t it be a bit more meaningful like an extra point for both driver and team?
Well, that would like allowing the drivers to buy World Championship points from the fans…
Suddenly, the drivers would be a LOT more visible to the fans..
Hidden beneath their halos…
Am sure they’re all angels..
No points should be involved. It’s popularity vote as much as a determination of driver performance. A good idea, and great for fan engagement, but not for points.
some corrections:
front tyre width from 245mm to 305mm
rear tyre width from 325mm to 405mm
Track from 1800mm to 2000mm
Trying to do things too quickly. All now fixed…
You sounded like some FIA official, who do you think came up with that brilliant quali idea, Horner? It sounds as if it hasn’t really been thought through.
And how prey is that going to help overtaking ?
Most of the traditional tracks are too tight as it is,
Monaco will be just a procession….
Regards,
“Martin”
The new qualifying format sounds like a complete dog’s dinner to me. Not sure how they are going to explain that to the casual viewer each week. I’m also not sure that’s the biggest issue F1 has to resolve right now.
Williams DB: Similar was said about the current format but I reckon 99% would say the current format is brilliant. I’m willing to watch and see how it goes. Also they could easily drop the new format at any time and revert to the current brilliant format almost seamlessly.
beers,
If 99% say that is it “brilliant” why then is there a need to change it? Anyway I didn’t say it wouldn’t be exciting I just said that it was over complicated and would be difficult to explain.
I’m more concerned about how much of a mess it will be if there’s a red flag. From the pits, you need nearly four minutes to post a time in places like Spa, so a red flag instantly eliminates two drivers.
Rain starting to fall during a session will still produce an empty track and commentators discussing team personnel on the pitwall more than the cars. Rain drying throughout a session already produces a mad scramble as the session goes on – something which the new system will limit because only a few drivers will be part of it.
To be honest, I’m not sure what will be gained from such a system. The truly fast will still be tempted to post a time early on and rest on their laurels.
Mate, my point was they said the same about the current format. let’s see.
Do think this is yet another bit of unnecessary tinkering that will put off the casual viewer. Its also treating a symptom as opposed to the cause – drivers savings tyres in Q1/Q2 for race day.
So, one of the major problems F1 has faced over the last two decades, being cars’ (over-)dependence on aerodynamic grip, is now actually made larger?
Apparently so…
What happen’s at Spa? If last year’s pole was 1.47, there’s not enough time to then go on and improve your lap time…
The last 90 seconds finishes not at 90 seconds but when the cars cross the finish line.
Which cars? I’m confused now. Is that when all cars are out on track of just the last two at the end of the session?
The last two at the end.
Ok. Understood that but. What about this
“- Q1 16 minutes
After 7 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag”
Does the 1 minute 30 seconds start when the slowest driver has gone over the line? At spa, if you’ve just crossed it before the next 1.30 starts, there isn’t enough time to improve your lap.
I have a headache now so I’m going to stop thinking about it. *sigh*
I have no idea. I wonder if they do
PNJ – think you’ve spotted what is commonly referred to as a ‘flaw’…funny how those very smart people from seriously big companies appear to have overlooked something that a humble commenter spotted in just a few minutes..
They have gone the wrong way with larger wings. I would like to see less aero / downforce, The front wing should be small and simple and perhaps even standardised. Presently when cars get close there is too often damage to either a wing or tyre.
It is not done yet.
Joe,
I like the fan DoD. In the last ten years I’ve noticed the fans no longer ignore the mid field and do vote a driver who finishes mid-field to DoD. The award will motivate other fans to look behind the leading driver. I hope they do it on the podium with a trophy but not points.
Such a shame that many fans will be denied a vote for driver of the day as we are excluded from live coverage for more than half of the races.
Good point. It maybe interesting to count the votes from particularly the UK on non public broadcast races. So I doubt the count will be broadcast.
Good point !!
Utter tosh. Fans can only exclude themselves from live coverage through their sense of entitlement. Here in the States we’ve been behind a “paywall” for decades.
Err- excuse me, but I and all UK residents already pay a mandatory £145.50 a year for the privilege of watching TV in the UK, that’s $US 204.00 in round numbers.
And that $204 is what many have to pay for a TV package ‘Per Month’ ! of adverts.
I really hope they don’t bring in that stupid halo head protection thing. It looks completely ridiculous. It sits along those BAR Honda rabbit ears and those stupid appendages that sat on top on the side pods in the early 00’s in terms of ugliness.
Completely agree. The Halo concept looks awful. The fact is there is an inherent risk in ‘open cockpit’ racing which will always be there. Removing that risk changes the very nature of the race series and unless they change it completely and go ‘closed cockpit’ they will never eliminate the risk. The Halo may not have saved Massa when he got hit by a spring. Motorbike racing would be much safer if they enclosed the riders in a protective shell and added 2 wheels, but then its not bike racing any more!
“Motorbike racing would be much safer if they enclosed the riders in a protective shell and added 2 wheels, but then its not bike racing any more!”
Was thinking the very same thing. Not sure how they can refer to it as open cockpit racing if they go ahead with the change.
There’s been talk of 5 secs a lap faster, and also that this year’s cars maybe 1.8-2.0 secs a lap quicker. However if the cars are faster, this year and heavier and faster next year, then they still won’t be able to show that in a race as the fuel capacity will remain the same, so they will remain limited to the amount they can burn and carry per race. Also, the Halo is another really ugly thing, surely something could be done to raise the cockpit sides and front, so as to make it a bit safer?
Driver of the day, revised qualifying, a load of smoke and mirrors. Leave well enough alone and work on the REAL problems of the sport, cost containment and promotion of the product.
Ahh George. Far too much common sense there man. Better to fart ar$e around with things that aren’t broke.
Indeed, smacks of rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic
interesting : by calling for common sense you achieve nothing, by talking about free spaces in graveyard you get full talmud approved
I, for one, really liked the days of the ‘one car / one flying lap’ format – even if David Coulthard did not. Wider front wings? How is that even possible? Please, no.
Joe, I know there’s all this talk about 2017 etc but how’s that 2016 Baku flight ticket coming ??
I don’t understand the remark…
For the life of me I cannot understand /comprehend the reasoning behind the changes mentioned above. Wider cars ocupy more space so we’ll see fewer cars going side-by side into particularly the first corners, so the cars will be streched out in a longer line further appart in the first laps. Bigger front wings will get broken more often causing unnessesary pit stops for replacements, and more tyres will be damaged requiring more pit stops for replacements, there will be a larger area of turbulent air behind the cars thereby stopping cars from following eachother through corners closly enough to get a slipstream on the straight so as to pass under braking for the corner.
I could go on and on. but what’s the point
I personally recomend keeping the physical dimentions as they are now, and fit narrower front and rear wings to reduce the amount of upper body downforce (and tyre damage) therefore reducing the amount of turbulent wake, (and drag) but allow more ground effects to help cornering, braking, stability, etc which has lesser effect on wake turbulence.
By adhereing to these suggestions the cars would be faster on the straights, simillar through the corners, so lap times would be quicker, plus the time gained by technical developement of the power units,and there would be fewer unnessesary pitstops for brakages and tyre replacements, which can and does have a major effect on championship results and prize moneys.
But why do I care? I just do!
PK (NZ).