The 2017 season represented a sea change in
Formula 1 with a wide array of new rules transforming the sport in an attempt to retain waning viewership. The new rules for the 2018 season will build on last year’s changes but are comparatively few in number but nonetheless interesting.
T-wings and sharks fins outlawed
Ambiguous wording in the 2017 rules meant that teams were emboldened to develop the “T-wing” and “shark fin” engine covers. The covers directed air more efficiently to the large rear wings allowing teams to gain small downforce improvements. In 2018, these setups will be banned. Teams have replaced these setups with a single elongated fin perpendicular to the rear wing.
No more trick suspensions
During the 2017 season teams like Red Bull and Ferrari utilised “trick suspensions” that allowed for a variable ride height during a lap. The result was improved aero performance. For the 2018 season, “trick suspensions” will be outlawed.
Halo introduction
The “halo” will be the most significant design change for the 2018 season. Developed by Mercedes for the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the halo is a cockpit protection device developed to protect drivers from debris and improve survivability in the event of a crash.
Apparent from minimum impact force thresholds, the rules governing the design of the halos are open. Additional, with the minimum weight of cars in the 2018 season increased by 6kg to account for the halo (which is expected to weight roughly 14kg), the manner in which teams approach the halo problem could make a significant difference to performance.
Three engines per season
A change that could drastically impact the 2018 Formula 1 season is a reduction in the number of engines a driver can utilise per season from four to three. The reduction in the numbers of engines allowed during an extended 21-race season means that teams are going to have to carefully manage the balance between durability and performance.
The new rules also place restrictions on engine components like the Control Electronics and the Energy Store teams will have to two. Teams will, as a result, need to carefully plan performance upgrades.
New tyre compounds
Pirelli, the official tyre supplier for the Formula 1 has made four new dry-weather tyre compounds available to teams for the 2018 season. The new compounds include the hypersoft (pink) tyres at one end of the spectrum and the superhard (orange) tyres at the other. Reports from initial testing with the tyres have suggested as much as a second difference with the new compounds.
The full range of tyre compounds for the 2018 Formula 1 are supersoft (pink), ultrasoft (purple), supersoft (red), soft (yellow), medium (white), hard (blue), and superhard (orange).
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