Being an ardent F-1 fan, I consider it as almost my duty to spread the madness that is associated with racing. This is a read for the other maniacs like me and at the same time for those who wonder what this craze is all about. The blog will give you a recap of 2008; introduce you to the thrilling 2009 season that’s just begun and some other interesting technical details.
End of a fabulous 2008 season
The world of Formula-1 saw an exciting 2008 season. No traction control meant that more control was given to the drivers than to the software. Single tyre-supplier (Bridgestone) meant no longer Ferrari-Bridgestone could have the same level of partnership seen in the Schumacher era. Caps on the minimum number of races an engine is to be used and rev-limits meant that the teams were conservative yet daring in race strategies. 2008 season also saw 2 new additions to the F1-racing calendar. The Valencia-Spain street circuit and the first ever night race at the Marina Bay-Singapore street circuit stood up to the expectations of millions of fans. I was fortunate enough to have experienced Singapore night race in person! The race itself turned very interesting and on the hind-sight was crucial to decide the F1-Champion of 2009. And what a season finale at Brazil! The last lap drama saw the McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton being crowned F-1 Champion, the youngest ever, after he won by a single point from Ferrari’s Felipe Massa who had transformed himself from what the pundits say as a Boy to a Man in the course of 2008 season. With such an exciting end and rise in TRP’s (last seen in Schumacher’s era), 2009 season promised to be even more exciting.
2009 Rule Changes and Pre-Season
The 2009 season saw big changes in the rules and regulations. The pre-season development and testing clearly indicated what the season would be like. In brief the key-changes were:
· Tyres: 2009 see the return of slicks (grooveless tyres). This together with aerodynamic regulations means reduced performance at high-speed corners.
· Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS): Teams will be given an option of running the KERS. The use of KERS system means that normally wasted kinetic energy at braking will be available for reuse. Through a mechanical flywheel or an electrical battery an additional 80 horses will be available at the push of a button for about 7 secs in a lap. This means cars fitted with KERS could potentially run several tenths of a second faster.
· Aerodynamics Regulations: 2009 season will see more cleaner looking cars. Barge boards, winglets and turning vanes have been removed. The front wings are now lower and wider and the rear wings are taller and narrower. These changes have been made to reduce the down-force considerably. This would mean a lack of grip and more overtaking possibilities in the race.
· Engines: The teams can use only 8 engines for the entire 2009 season. These engines have been made to run at 18000 rpm compared to the 19000 rev-limit in 2008. Any additional engines used will mean a grid penalty of 10 places at the start of the race.
For more technical information on the 2009 rules please visit www.formula1.com
The recession – Bane for Honda-Boon for Brawn?
F-1 being an expensive and sponsorship driven sport, the recession did have its effect. Part of the changes to the rules was driven by the anticipated down-turn. But even this could not help and Honda had finally pulled the plug. At the end of 2008 season, Honda announced its decision and was up for sale. The Honda management did promise that the developments made thus far and the engineers working on the 2009 car will be available to the new owners for a smooth transition.
So just weeks before the start of the season, in a dramatic turn of events, the Honda Team’s race director, Ross Brawn, became the owner and re-christened the team as “Brawn GP”. Ross Brawn, the ace ex-Ferrari race strategist, stuck with the Honda Drivers – Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichelo. The team being short of an operating budget and lack of sponsors, Jenson Button took a pay-cut to help the team which later turned out to be a master stroke and showed the world what a leader he is.
Pre-season testing showed the top teams were not at their best. Both Ferrari and McLaren were struggling both on reliability and race pace. The BMW’s, Renault, Toyota and Williams were showing promise and Red-Bulls were ready to bring surprises. Just a month before season start, Brawn GP mostly developed by Honda but now fitted with Mercedes engines startled the world by running at exhilarating pace. Week after week they beat the other teams while testing.
2009 Season
With such promise coupled with unpredictability the 2009 season kicked-off in Australia. Brawn GP stunned everybody and reigned supreme in Australia. They raised the bar and won many praises including the rivals. From a team that was close to being dissolved, they regrouped within a few weeks and showed the world that they can be the World Champs. McLarens started off their season on a bad note. The 2009 famous lie-gate scandal tarnished their image. Lewis Hamilton, the defending champion, apologized and few officials from McLaren were taken to court after which a few heads rolled in the McLaren management. They have left a bad taste and so far in the season have not recovered yet.
6 races have been completed thus far in 2009 and various teams have shown their mettle. Jenson Button is currently running away with the championship having won 5 of the 6. But a raw young talent in the form of Sebastein Vettel is in hot pursuit. Vettel driving the legendary Adrian Newey designed Red-Bulls is showing the world why the Germans call him the successor to Schumi. His fantastic drive in the Chinese Grand Prix in the rain conditions surely emulated the original “Regenmeister”. It is little wonder that it was Schumacher who identified this young talent. He is for me the future of F-1 along with Rosberg, Alonso and Hamilton.
So where are the Ferraris and the McLarens this year-the teams who almost always are at the top? F-1 is as much a sport on the racing track as it is engineering on the drawing board. Part of the aero regulations this year was to redesign the diffusers. Various teams interpreted the new regulations differently. 4 teams including Brawn GP interpreted so very intelligently that the diffusers alone gave them an advantage of more than half a second per lap. Ferraris and McLaren cried foul at these interpretations. After weeks of discussion with FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) Courts, the Brawns and 3 other teams were deemed legal. This meant the rest had to do the catch up act, which will not happen until mid-season. To read more on the diffuser visit www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/313897/diffusers-they-are-legal.html
Secondly the KERS has been a boon in disguise for the team not running with themJ. The additional weight carried by the electrical battery or the mechanical fly-wheel has offset the performance gain from the KERS. As many as 5 teams started the 2009 season with KERS but at the end of 5 races only 2 teams have them. And you guessed it right – they are the Ferraris and McLarens. What definitely is commendable is these two teams are relentless in their pursuit of new technology. Ferraris are gaining by the day and have now closed the gap to the leaders. McLarens are struggling currently but they are known to bounce back strongly.
2009 season will feature a new circuit Yas-Marina at Abu Dhabi. This is a street-circuit and is being termed as the Arabian version of Monaco GP. The mid-season will also see the new regulations for 2010. Max Mosley, president of FIA, has proposed a £40 million budget cap for 2010. This has raised appreciations from various teams. But Ferrari has threatened to pull out of F-1. This new burning issue, which is unnecessary in such a thrilling season, needs to be resolved quickly in the coming weeks.
2009 is going to see a new F-1 champ for sure. Could it be Jenson Button or Sebastein Vettel remains to be seen? But one thing is for sure – this season will be one of the most exciting ones. Me, being a passionate Ferrari fan am hoping that Ferrari will bounce back strongly and set themselves up for a fantastic 2010. And someday would love to see Alonso and Vettel drive those Scarlet Prancing Horses.
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