Track Torque: Who’s who in F1 zoo?

The Formula 1 ‘circus’ gets going again for the year in Australia this Sunday (17th) and we should know who’s who in the Grand Prix zoo.

There have been quite a lot of changes to the cars and we recently had two weeks of testing which I think failed to show the true form of each team.

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The truth shall be told at qualifying this Saturday.

In terms of the changes, on the tyre front at each race there will only be a choice of three colours, white, yellow and red for hard, medium and soft tyres respectively.

Although the variations run from C1 to C5 only three of the five types will be available at each event, hence the simplification.

Scrutineering is now dispensed with.

It is left to the teams to thoroughly monitor all regulations, only spot checks will be done by the organisers.

The fastest lap will now earn a top 10 finisher an extra point, and car minimum weights are up to 740kg with an ’80kg driver’.

Fuel tankage increases from 105kg to 110kg and three red lights will now be employed at the back of the cars in the event of bad weather.

Front and back wings have been altered to specifically improve close racing and are higher and wider at front and back.

The drag reduction system (DRS) opens 20 percent more giving the equivalent of 25 percent more power!

Barge boards are smaller and brake ducts simpler. Mirrors and cameras are altered to improve the view for both driver and spectator.

What about the results?

Observations from testing allow me to guesstimate that the cars are going to be quicker this year despite the less sophisticated front wings etc.

I also note that Mercedes arrived with a somewhat different car for the second week of testing which leads one to wonder whether they will have two cars this year, for faster and slower circuits?

The former, a car with parallel or almost zero rake, and the latter car with its tail up and nose down at an angle of attack or positive rake.

Rake has become a new feature of the modern F1 car.

It originated with Red Bull and was followed by all the other teams except Mercedes last year.

The positive rake creates more under car downforce particularly at the rear but also more drag.

The new Ferrari appears to be very quick, aided by the dash of young driver Charles Leclerc who I think will bring out the best in Sebastian Vettel.

Mercedes really should also be right up there and we will have to see whether some of their poor testing performance was simply sandbagging?

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It would also appear that Red Bull still need to find some new Honda Horses to be the force to reckon with, which they should be.

Race time: 6am.

TEAMS

Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari – Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc; Red Bull – Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly; Renault – Niko Hulkenburg and Daniel Ricciardo; Haas – Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; McLaren – Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris; Racing Point – Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll; Alfa Romeo – Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi; Toro Rosso – Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon; Williams – George Russel and Robert Kubica. 

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