F1 2009 Cars

F1 Cars 2009

F1: What the rule changes mean

When the Formula One season gets underway in Melbourne the cars that take to the grid will look very different to the ones that finished the last race of 2008 in Brazil. That's thanks to the biggest set of rule changes for over a decade, with smaller wings, a return to slick tyres and the complicating factory of the KERS performance-boosting system. So, with that in mind, here's our quick guide to F1's new way of doing things...

Why do the cars look so different?

This season's cars see a welcome return to 'slick' tyres, losing the grooved rubber that's been a feature of F1 since 1997. But the biggest visual difference comes with the new wings at the front and rear. These are smaller than those of previous seasons, and are fixed at narrower angles – limiting the amount of downforce that can be generated. The increasingly strange-looking 'winglets' that were sprouting from the bodywork cars in recent years have also been banned, but several teams have already 're-interpreted' the rules to produce some very aggressive looking rear diffusers.

To offset some of the lost downforce, drivers will be able to adjust the wings twice during each lap, enabling them to trade off cornering force against speed, one of the moves pitched as creating more overtaking opportunities.

Overtaking – are we really going to see more of it?

F1's governing body, the FIA, certainly hopes so. And it's where the biggest difference for this year's cars comes in – the arrival of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, or KERS for short. KERS is meant to reflect the technology used by hybrid road cars, and allows the storage of some energy that would otherwise be lost under braking to boost performance elsewhere on a lap. This is stored using either a flywheel or a battery pack (currently only Williams is developing a flywheel system) and can then be used to give some extra power when the driver presses what's being pitched as a 'push-to-pass' button. Under 2009's rules, KERS can store enough energy to give an additional 85bhp for 6.5 seconds each lap. That means if a driver with his KERS-boost still intact comes up against a car that has either used it, or which doesn't have the system fitted, he should be able to get past...

Haven't some teams struggled with KERS?

It's fair to say that KERS has caused F1's boffins more sleepless nights than anything since fridges full of free Red Bull first appeared in the paddock. Many teams have really struggled to get their systems to work properly, and several drivers and bosses have expressed doubts as to the safety of a system that combines high voltage batteries with an F1 car's payload of high-octane fuel. KERS also adds weight to the cars, limiting the amount of ballast that can be used to balance them, and some in the paddock reckon that on most circuits KERS will only have a small effect on a car's pace. Indeed, it looks like only a minority of the grid will actually start the season with their cars fitted with KERS, most teams planning to introduce it later.

What happened to those plans for a new points system?

The short answer is that F1's internal politics killed it. The FIA's plans to give the drivers' championship to the guy who scored the greatest number of wins, rather than just the most points, did seem likely to create some more enthusiastic racing – it would certainly have ended the dull practice of drivers throttling back towards the end of a race to secure championship points rather than to press for victory. But the teams feared that it would also have rewarded recklessness, and because the proposals had been introduced late and without consultation, they exercised their option to veto the plan. It will be interesting to see if it returns next year – and if Bernie's plans to award the winning drivers medals comes back with it.

And are there any other changes?

Several less exciting ones. F1 engines will have to manage double the mileage of last year and teams will be banned from testing once the season starts – both moves intended to cut costs.

So, who's going to be quick this year?

That's the big question – and one that it's always difficult to answer before the first race. But it's clear that the teams have adapted to the new regulations with differing degrees of success. Both Ferrari and Renault look set to be quick, and both have confirmed that they will be starting the season with KERS, which may give them an advantage during the early races. BMW has also done a huge amount of work developing its KERS system, which – despite a testing accident that electrocuted a mechanic - may prove to be the best of the bunch.

McLaren has admitted that it's been struggling to come to terms with the new regulations, although insiders expect the team to get on the pace relatively quickly once the season starts. But the really big surprise is the evident pace of the Brawn team – born from the ashes of Honda's former F1 operation. It was comfortably the quickest at the last pre-season test session thanks to its mastery of the new aerodynamic regulations. Jenson Button for the championship? Stranger things have happened...

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