With only 30 days remaining until the start of the 2011 Formula One World Championship in Bahrain next month, I took a look to see what new regulations were being introduced this year and how the teams were shaping up so far.
All of the teams have revealed their new cars for this season and showed many new radical and innovative designs, from McLaren’s gaudy L-shape side-pod to Renault’s fresh take on front facing exhausts. Button in particular paid tribute to his ‘new baby’ saying that being innovative is they key, ‘If you follow, you’ll never win’.
This year will also see the return of the ‘push-to-pass’ button from the 2009 season, commonly known within the teams as the Kinetic Energy Restoration System, or KERS. Whilst other new regulations such as the introduction of Pirelli as tyre manufacturer and a revolutionary new adjustable rear wing this season is sure to cause a heated competition.
The new technical introductions for the 2011 season are there in a hope to boost overtaking opportunities and make the race more of a show for the fans. The adjustable rear wing system operates from the cockpit, and drivers can opt for a ‘low drag’ setting to boost their top speed on the straights, or in a ‘high downforce’ mode to increase grip around the corners. However they are not able to use the system willy nilly as they please, instead the system will be controlled electronically by the FIA and will only be available for the driver to use once they are within a second of the car in front. Once they are up close and personal, they can further increase their chances of an overtake by using the low drag setting coupled with the KERS system.
The KERS system will be familiar to a few of the teams who chose to use it in the 2009 season. Without the need for scientific explanation, the system operates on an energy recovery method. Which in plain english means that when the driver applies the brakes to slow for a corner, the energy from that deceleration can be stored electronically and then applied to the engine when the driver wants to overtake, or indeed expand their lead on the car behind. Similarly to the adjustable rear wing, there are some restrictions on the use of it. Drivers can only apply the extra power a certain number of times per lap, so if you were thinking Fernando could just drive around with his finger firmly on the button, then think again.
The first official days of testing were completed in Valencia last Wednesday, and teams felt very upbeat about their cars and much more comfortable about the new regulations, more so than others was McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, saying that his new car was a ‘masterpiece‘ and putting down any hope that seven time world champion Michael Schumacher would be able to make a come back this year.
It is still very early days to declare who will be the one to watch this year, with the teams only just getting to grips with the new Pirelli rubber and teams like McLaren not even having a chance to run their new car. When the cars finish their final testing days a week before the first race in Bahrain, then we will see who will have the leading edge over the rest of the field. However with that said, teams and drivers are certainly weary of last year’s winners Red Bull. Their testing times have so far been on top every session and show no reason why they are going to take it easy this year.
The new season kicks off at the Bahrain International Circuit on 13th March, with many more testing days for the teams to endure and drivers having to get more acquainted with their cars, anything is possible at the moment.
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