New F1 Rules - Did you know

"ncasolowork2" (ncasolowork2)
03/14/2014 at 09:19 • Filed to: None

Did you know that the teams are required to use the same gear ratios all year? They can change gearboxes but they're stuck with the same gears in Monaco as they have at Spa and Monza. From the onboards yesterday I don't think the drivers were really getting in to 8th gear going in to turn 1. It they were it was just barely. I understand this was done to curb costs, but I'm not a fan. Being able to setup the cluster for each track and tune out some unnecessary gear changes to keep the car in the high revs is a good thing. That's now gone.

DISCUSSION (8)

Axel-Ripper > ncasolowork2
03/14/2014 at 09:26

Any attempt to curb cost in F1 is complete and utter BS. Seeming like just an excuse to charge higher entry fees because now they don't have to spend as much on a gear box, and it will hurt the season because of suboptimal gearing. It might also be a reason why they were shifting at 12k yesterday.

I'm hoping it isn't 100% fixed and they allow them to change the final drive at least.

DConsorti > ncasolowork2
03/14/2014 at 09:30

I also think that the F1 lost some "charm" banning in some kind of way the high rev and the sound it brings...

But in the other side, I want to see how the hew engineers will handle this. Like someone said yesterday at the practice, we will se a car incredibly fast on some tracks and slow like a turtle in ohters...

ncasolowork2 > DConsorti
03/14/2014 at 09:34

Nah with 8 gears that shouldn't affect lap times very much, but it might cause a few extra gear changes each lap. If what I saw and counted was correct Sutil went in to 8th gear going in to turn one right as he hit the brakes. It was a completely pointless gear change that would have been avoided if they were able to set track specific ratios. I'm also serious about the cars not getting out of 6th gear at Monaco.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > ncasolowork2
03/14/2014 at 09:40

There is a difference between rules that cut costs, rules that cut innovation, and rules that cut finesse. This falls in the third category. Not a fan.

Pitchblende > ncasolowork2
03/14/2014 at 10:39

While I don't like the idea, I don't think it will be as debilitating as it might sound with the expected increase in torque from the turbo/electric engines and the eight speed boxes. Yes, it does cut out some of the set-up magic that certain teams manage to pull, but it means that people won't be unable to overtake down a long straight with DRS due to bouncing off the limiter. Its another rule change that I'll take a wait and see attitude on (like virtually everything this year).

ncasolowork2 > Pitchblende
03/14/2014 at 10:45

yeah i file this one under "annoying" rather than detracting from the race itself.

pedal-force > ncasolowork2
03/14/2014 at 10:47

Actually, for 2014 they get a slight break, you get to change ratios once through the season.

ncasolowork2 > pedal-force
03/14/2014 at 11:09

Honestly with Spa, Monza, and Abu Dhabi at the back of the season if I'm an F1 chief engineer I'm waiting until after Hungary to change my ratios and increasing the final gear to make sure I've got enough for Monza.