30 DAY F1 COUNTDOWN - WHATS NEW THIS YEAR?

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. 

F1 DRIVER FITNESS - HOW TOUGH ARE THEY?

Imagine, and I’m sure you have, trying to drive an F1 car around Silverstone in front of a 50,000 strong crowd, revving the nuts off the car and reaching blistering speeds down the straights. Sounds like the dream job. But then imagine trying to maintain a much needed high level of concentration whilst threading the car through the perfect line at Copse Corner at over 150mph, not to mention having to fiddle with the infinite amount of settings on the steering wheel and relaying vital information back to the team in the pits. Dream job sounds like a bit of a nightmare now doesn’t it.

F1 drivers need to keep up their attention levels throughout a race and never let them drop when behind the wheel of the 200mph machine. Failure to do so results in the obvious; shards of carbon fibre flying everywhere and Silverstone’s fences being re-designed by a multi-million pound racer.

 The stresses and strains that the drivers must endure are extremely harsh, in some cases they are exerted to four times their own body weight when speeding around corners and some even finish the race 5kg lighter because of their vast amounts of sweat. 

The serious demands of the sport require serious fitness levels from the drivers. So much so that there are considered some of the fittest sportsmen on the planet. Indeed, fitter than Ronaldo, Wilkinson or Sir Redgrave. So what exactly do F1 drivers do to keep up their fitness and stamina levels for a race?

The physical endurance needed is worked on through intense cardio vascular training, usually by running or swimming, however some drivers even take up roller blading, which seems to do the trick. But the intense loads experienced by the neck and chest muscles cannot be replicated in the gym, so specialist rigs are designed for them to train those certain muscles. Strength in the neck is especially important, as the driver needs to be able to support both their head and their helmet in high-speed corners.

One particularly interesting aspect of preparation is the mental training they go through to prepare themselves for a race. I’m not talking about seeing a shrink for their marital troubles, I’m talking about seeing a professional psychologist to train their mind. Train their mind to block out all of the outside world while sitting there on the grid. Concentration is the key to driving a Formula One car, so they train their mind to block out distractions. Some even consider the sound of their seatbelt clicking into place a form of relaxation.

So if you thought that Wayne Shrek Rooney went through a lot, or indeed Hussein Bolt indulged in too much gym work, then you’re unmistakably wrong. Hamilton and Button are the new benchmarks.