2009 f1 major car changes explained by Redbull

[hybrid 1039]

[|ncary 0]

Wow... Ugly car indeed haha.

That battery boost system, what the hell? That came out of no where. It really is more about the drivers this year then.

Slicks, finally.

[Apex 693]

Cool, I look forward to this spicing it up!

Anyone going to Melbourne this year?

[bravo 34]

Wonder how much influence A1GP had on the boost idea?

The rear wings look gay - the rest is better - tidies the styling up heaps - all the aerodynamic aids drag the look down. I know its not about the look but I like a good looking car to watch going around a track.

[Boost Junky 1]

Yea I agree bravo you have too like what you are watching

That boost idea is definitely interesting...

[OLLIE 26]

I'm very excite! an extra 82HP for 6.5 seconds every lap!!!!! holy crap. How does it work?

[3 SERIES 92]

Wow, huge changes. Not a fan of the wing and the boost button is too fast and the furious for my liking.

Good Post.

[greenday-rulz21 4]

I used to be a huge fan of F1. Watched every race etc, even got up at 4 in the morning.

Over the last couple of years IMO they've ruined it. The change from V10's to the V8's. I do agree with the removal of traction control though.

I am a fan of the cars with aero aids. I don't know why, I think it just makes them something different, something technical (which they are!) And they make the car go faster.

The new '09 cars look ugly, the thing that really ruins it is the rear wing.

My idea of F1 is the highest class of motorsport in the world. They should be getting the constructors to build the fastest car possible, not trying to slow them down. (And don't say the boost is going to make them faster, it will only equal them, if that, to the 2005 cars)

(2005 cars had 960bhp, the 2008 v8's had 700bhp.)

[bravo 34]

Interesting musings on the rule chages

The biggest, and perhaps the most talked about change is the introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) which use energy generated under braking, which would otherwise be wasted, to be used to provide additional power for the car. The rules for KERS are remarkably complicated. The KERS units will be limited by the rules to 60Kw and storage capacity for the device is limited to 400Kj. This means that a driver will be able to call upon an additional 80BHP for about 6 seconds a lap. It could help to promote overtaking, as it can be seen as a kind of "push to pass" button as used in A1GP and in Champ Car last year. The trouble is, that as it can only be used for 6s or so a lap, it is likely that every driver will simply hit the button on the longest straight, where the additional power will give the greatest advantage. Push to pass is, itself, no panacea for the problem of overtaking, but one can't help feel that this is probably not the solution. I have to confess I'm disappointed too that the rules are placing artificial limits on how efficient the device is allowed to be - no matter how much energy the teams may be able to get the devices to reclaim from braking each lap, they will not be allowed to claw back more than 400Kj. How this is supposed to meet the other objective of KERS - spurring improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency - I fail to see.

[bravo 34]

How KERS works

Surprisinly simple, but 5kg??? e30 flywheel weighs that much on its own and I cant see it bein able to be utilised to provide power to an F1 car.

There must be some fairly clever engineering behind it, and maybe a little more to it than they've let on.

[Andrew 30]

Will watch this year.

Gus and I are meeting in Bahrain (of all places) to watch the F1, should be awesome. Will post pics of those hot pit girls in burkas.