How a 2014 F1 Car Will Look
It is not all that far away now… The beginning of the 2014 Formula One season is just around the corner and as teams prepare to unveil and then test their new cars, we shall see for the first time what the dramatic rule changes have given us. These changes in regulations are the biggest for the sport in living memory and their introduction will no doubt be a game changer. So how will a 2014 F1 car look?
Starting beneath its carbon fibre skin, these 2014 cars will now be powered by a turbocharged 1.6 litre V6 engine, as opposed to the naturally aspirated V8s we are used to. Despite the smaller engine, the cars will produce roughly the same power as in 2013 but the addition of a turbo should make them harder to drive under pressure. However, they will only rev to 15,000rpm. KERS becomes ERS as this Energy Recovery System can harvest energy from multiple locations in the car such as waste heat from the turbo, not just through the brakes. ERS for 2014 can give the 2014 F1 car an additional 161BHP. A specified location for the exhaust exit will mean that teams can no longer take advantage of blowing the hot gases onto aerodynamic components. Their noses will also be considerably lower, much like the cars of 2009 in order to improve safety. In addition the front wing will become narrower than the width of the car. At the back, the top movable plain for the rear wing used when DRS is active will become shallower.
The video below should give you quite a good idea of what to expect to see on the grid in Australia for the season opener.