List Of Changes For Formula One 2021

source
Loads of technical changes as the back wing is less prominent as the air flows through the car instead of around it.

There are numerous changes that will change the sport for better and worse in my opinion. Some are good and some are bad and there are just too may things trying to just make everyone the same. So what if the teams with the most money have the better cars and don't see a problem with this. I thought I would compile a list of changes and you can decide for yourself if you think I am mad by not agreeing with all of them.

source
Cars will look different as front wings is where big differences can be made and I am sure teams are working on it already.

Most of the changes are going to be on the technical side. The downforce created by the wings at the back of the car are going to change drastically. The teams have developed them so much overtaking or even getting close to the car in front is nearly impossible. The dirty air that is currently being caused reduces downforce by 60 percent on cars approaching from behind. The solution is to go back to the technology used in 1982 which will be 39 years old by the time we see it again.

source
Ross Brawn explaining the rule changes and where the changes are on the car. On the inside of the front wheel we can see the fins used to channel the air underneath the car causing a suction.

Ground Effect downforce is when the wind is trapped and forced through vents that run on the side of the car forcing it out the back sucking the car to the surface. This will reduce the dirty air allowing for overtaking and possibly more interesting closer races.A standard floor tray will be supplied to all teams so everyone is the same. teams are allowed to modify it slightly though, but not the end part where the air comes out of.

source
I think this view is probably the best as it clearly shows the subtle differences.

Body work will change with the barge boards disappearing and they will be replaced by wheel body work called deflectors which will reduce the wake created by the wheels when they turn at high speeds. The front nose with the wings can be developed at the teams discretion as long as the ends are vertical like a planes wing tip. The wings at the back of the car will now only channel air in one direction through a carefully designed shape that removes the dirty air. DRS will remain for now but could disappear which I think is bad.The wings are no longer there to produce the downforce as that is now the job of the vents and floor pan.

Engines now can only be made of commercially available material and no special metals and exotic alloys are allowed. Engines should now be a little heavier because of this and this is helping the poorer teams again as it reduces engine costs. Fuel pumps are standardized across all the teams to reduce cheating as some cars are known to have extra piping where fuel was stored creating an advantage. That does make sense and had no idea this wasn't monitored already. All fuels used must be 20 percent bio fuels reducing the carbon foot print and will be targeted for reduction every year.

Bew parts for the car are being split as the FIA has standardised a few of them. Nose cones and wings as discussed already have to be made by each team and the rear wing has to comply with everyone so the FIA will supply those. Teams are allowed to trade amongst themselves so one team could concentrate on the steering wheel or gear box etc. I can't see that happening especially with Ferrari or Mercedes so it is again for the smaller teams. Teams will be given specs on a list of items they all must have exactly the same and this is where teams can make for each other reducing costs.

Regulation changes the FIA is firmly putting through is the number of sessions allowed in the wind tunnel per season. 400 per team in 2021 down to 320 in 2022 and drop every year thereafter. Dyno testing is also on the hit list as it is all about reducing the teams running costs. Brake pads and discs are allowed to be changed only once per round so testing and qualifying is allowed one set only with one for the race. If teams break this rule they will be penalised and lose 3 places on the grid for a first offense. Harsher penalties if it is repeated will see 2 extra places added to this so a second offense will be a 5 spot penalty and so forth.

Racing weekends have increased to 25 races in 2021 so the Thursday practice and the parts srutineering is now done on Fridays. This means teams have to have all parts checked and listed for the FIA to double check and nothing else can be added afterwards. Teams wont have done any test laps on the track and will be shooting in the dark what they may or may not need. Just because they have every part available they have to declare before testing starts. Nothing else can be added afterwards which is another blow to the bigger teams yet again. Smaller teams wont have what the bigger teams have in back up spares so this evens the playing field.

Another new thing is selected parts of the car will be covered in a rubber membrane. This is to aid in debris clean up when parts fall off the car. The idea is those parts don't shatter and splinter making the clean up quicker and easier. Cockpits will increase in size adding an extra 20 kilograms in weight to the car. This is to help taller drivers fit into the car and shows where the FIA is going. The change on licences will open up Formula One racing to a much bigger pool now and not just a select 20 or 22 that we currently see.

source
All about the money and enticing new teams in witha set budget cap. Porsche built and tested an engine for 2021 and have not signed up and decided against it.

Most of the above is to help reduce the costs outlayed by the teams as a cost cap has come in at $175 Million per team which doesn't include drivers salaries or marketing. The cost is solely for the running and development of each car. The 2020 season is a dry run and is just a test to see how teams are doing and where costs could still be a problem. Teams can literally have thousands of people working for them and there has to be job losses.

The one rule I don't like is the gearbox rule as from 2021 they are frozen until 2025 and each team is only allowed one upgrade in the 5 year period. This is to reduce costs on research and development,but logically I say it will increase costs. If you are only allowed one upgrade you will make sure it is a big game changer so more time will be spent on this part.

Teams also have to submit their data and car blueprint to the FIA so they can do spot checks making sure each team complies to the cars specs. Obviously this is something that may have happened in the past and they are just covering themselves.

source
An example of where one team was 3 years ago with their budget and most likely the reason why most of this is happening trying to keep everyone involved.

I am a fan of certain things on here but a majority I am not. Formula One needs to be the pinnacle of development and technology for cars in general. More speed with increased performance finding new solutions is what it should be about. Cutting budgets to help smaller teams compete is just daft and communistic in thought. Everyone of us benefits from what these teams create as it filters down to the road cars eventually. The dirty air stopping other cars from overtaking I am all for it, but the rest just sounds like they are screwing it all up. I have never heard of teams all having the same spec parts before and it will be interesting to see as I still believe the top 3 will move ahead of everyone again. They are just that good and it is not all about money.