Faster cars, mid-race refueling returning to Formula One

Faster cars, mid-race refueling returning to Formula OneNoah Joseph

Critics have lamented a drop in performance, competition and spectacle in the modern age of Formula One. So to get the championship back up to the pinnacle of motor racing where it belongs, the parties involved have agreed on a number of measures earmarked revitalize the sport.

The first measure which the all-important Formula One Strategy Group has agreed upon is an expansion in the choice of tires that teams will be able to use in a grand prix weekend. That'll take effect already next year, but the bigger news is what F1 has in store for 2017.

Representatives of the teams, engine suppliers, the FIA and Formula One Management agreed that for the season after next, the sport will adapt its regulations to allow for faster cars. With more aggressive aerodynamics, wider tires and lighter weights, the 2017 entries are destined to drop a good five to six seconds off their lap times. That likely means the '17 challengers will be fighting for lap records on many tracks. The engines will also be allowed to rev higher and produce a better exhaust note than has been allowed by the current 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 hybrid power units and the cars will be designed to look "more aggressive."

One of the biggest changes earmarked for implementation in 2017, however, will be the reintroduction of mid-race refueling. The practice has been banned since 2010 in order to increase safety and encourage a shift in strategy. That's meant quicker pit stops where only the tires (and any damaged bodywork) are swapped, but critics point fingers at fuel-saving tactics that have impeded racing action in the years since.

Although no specific measures were agreed upon, the group also plans to reexamine the format of the race weekend, starting the engine from inside the cockpit without external intervention, and keeping costs in check. A proposal to increase the number of engines allotted to each driver this season, however, was rejected.

While the above measures were agreed upon by the F1 Strategy Group, they still need to be approved by the F1 Commission and by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council before they can be put into practice.

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Track-only 2016 911 GT3 R is lighter, faster and…cheaper to operate?

It’s got a 6 1/2-foot rear wing. Enough said.

We never thought Porsche -- creators of the $365 painted key fob -- would brag about how economical one of their cars could be to operate. But it’s right there in the 991 911 GT3 press release: “Special attention was paid to lightweight design, better aerodynamic efficiency, reducing consumption, improved handling, further optimized safety as well as lowering service and spare parts costs” (emphasis ours).

Then again, the Porsche 911 GT3 R isn’t just any old 911. Even though it’s based on the 4.0-liter powered, wing-wearing, exceptionally well-vented “civilian” 911 GT3 RS, this new variant has been engineered with the needs of real racing teams in mind. And even big-name racing teams have to contend with tight budgets, so this nod to cost control is sure to be appreciated.

Still, with a list price of $487,000 -- vastly more than the $176,895 GT3 RS -- the GT3 R isn’t exactly what we’d call an affordable track toy. Bet you wish you snagged that Ariel Atom now, don’t you?

It's just like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Except lighter. And far more expensive. And you can't drive it on the street. Photo by Porsche

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You do get a lot for half a million bucks, though: Beyond the commanding/ridiculous 6.56-foot rear wing, there’s lots of built-in safety equipment, including an FIA-conforming integrated roll-cage, removable polycarbonate windows, and an escape hatch built in to the roof. Gasoline is contained within an FIA-conforming 120-liter fuel cell.

Up front, you’ll get McPherson struts; there’s a multilink independent suspension out back. Naturally, it’s all adjustable for height, camber and toe. Awesome BBS alloy wheels with center-lock wheel nuts sit at all four corners.

We suspect the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine out back, good for “over” 500 hp, sounds glorious as well. It’s the same motor you’ll find in the 911 GT3 RS. There’s no manual option -- just a sequential six-speed constant-mesh gearbox -- but we can’t complain, for once, because shaving fractions of seconds off lap times is this car’s raison d’être. Power is channeled to the rear wheels through a mechanical limited-slip differentia.

Begun, the wing wars have. Photo by Porsche

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Perhaps what you don’t get on this car is more telling: Namely, weight. This car weighs just 2,690 pounds -- 341 pounds lighter than the GT3 RS, and around 330 pounds heavier than the smaller, less-powerful new Miata.

Removing the passenger seats and just about every creature comfort helps (we appreciate that Porsche has figured out how to charge for both the addition of optional equipment and the removal of standard equipment) but Porsche also replaced all the windows, including the windscreen, with polycarbonate. Further, the roof and as many body panels as possible are made of carbon-fiber composite, and a pair of side-mounted radiators has been replace with a centrally mounted radiator -- a concept Porsche says it borrowed from the 911 RSR.

Despite being 3.27 inches longer than the previous-generation GT3 R, Porsche says weight distribution has been improved as has, consequently, handling.

All in all, it’s an extreme beast. If its real-life performance matches its on-paper specs, the teams that compete with such cars should have a lot to look forward to. And if Porsche is right about the new GT3 R being more economical to operate, they might even be able to splurge on the good champagne after the race.

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FIA approves faster, louder Formula One cars for 2017

Streategy Group meeting, however, fails to address budget caps, cutting costs

The FIA has outlined a raft of measures designed to improve the show in 2017 and beyond following Thursday's meeting of the F1 Strategy Group.

The body, which comes up with ideas that are later approved by the F1 Commission, is comprised of FIA president Jean Todt, Formula One head Bernie Ecclestone and representatives of Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, Williams and Force India. The engine manufacturers were also invited to attend.

The main goal of the meeting was to find ways to improve the spectacle from 2017 forward and produce faster lap times. Along with refueling, engines will be higher revving and produce more noise, and cars will have “more aggressive looks.” The changes will include wider tires from Pirelli.

The intention is that the basic engine regulations will not change in order to give the manufacturers some stability, and to help tempt VW/Audi in. However, clearly there will be some tinkering in order to address the high revs and more noise requirements. It remains to be seen whether the overall fuel allowance for the race, now 100 kg, will remain the same. The FIA says only that there will still be a “maximum” fuel allowance.

In addition, beginning in 2016, teams will be able to make their own choice from Pirelli's four compounds -- although for logistical reasons, the decision will be made some weeks in advance.

The push for a penalty-free fifth engine in 2015 was not approved.

The return of refueling is a surprise given that it was stopped both for safety reasons and to save costs, as teams had to ship equipment around the world at huge expense.

A joint statement from Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt outlined some of what had been discussed:

“The Strategy Group members have debated a number of levers aimed at improving the show. An initial series of measures has been voted:

For 2016:

– Free choice of the two dry tire compounds (out of four) that each team can use during the race weekend

For 2017:

– Faster cars: 5 to 6 seconds drop in lap times through aerodynamic rules evolution, wider tires and reduction of car weight

– Reintroduction of refueling (maintaining a maximum race fuel allowance)

– Higher revving engines and increased noise

– More aggressive looks

A few other measures have also been discussed but require further investigation before they can be implemented:

– A global reflection on race weekend format

– Measures to make starts only activated by the driver without any outside assistance.”

In addition to the technical measures outlined above, the FIA says that it looked at the sustainability of the sport. And although not outlined in detail, includes proposals for the big teams to run third cars, and ultimately supply customer cars, should any of the struggling midfield teams face a financial collapse.

An FIA statement read: “Furthermore, in light of the various scenarios presented by the independent consulting company mandated by the F1 Strategy Group, at the initiative of the FIA, to work on the reduction of costs and following a constructive exchange, a comprehensive proposal to ensure the sustainability of the sport has emerged.

“The Strategy Group member teams have committed to refine it in the next few weeks, in consultation with the other teams involved in the championship. On the engine side, it has been decided that stability of the rules should prevail in consideration of the investments of the manufacturers involved in the sport and to give visibility to potential new entrants. The allowance for a fifth engine to be used during the 2015 season has been rejected.

“This constructive meeting between the FIA, FOM and the Teams has allowed paving the way for the future of the championship. All parties agreed to work together with an intention to firm up these proposals and submit them to the approval of the F1 Commission and the World Motor Sport Council of the FIA as soon as possible for implementation.”

Despite the reference to costs, team insiders have indicated that nothing was done to help the smaller teams address the cost issues.

Instead the push for third cars and customer cars, which would help the likes of McLaren, who would like to see its new Honda engine get extra track mileage, suggests that their plight has been largely overlooked.

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