F1 in 2011

[SebastianVettel]

WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL
08.09.2010

At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 8 September 2010, the following decisions were taken:

FORMULA ONE

The 2011 Formula One World Championship calendar is confirmed as follows:

13/03 Bahrain
27/03 Australia
10/04 Malaysia
17/04 China
08/05 Turkey
22/05 Spain
29/05 Monaco
12/06 Canada
26/06 Europe
10/07 Great Britain
24/07 Germany
31/07 Hungary
28/08 Belgium
11/09 Italy
25/09 Singapore
09/10 Japan
16/10 Korea
30/10 India*
13/11 Abu Dhabi
27/11 Brazil
* Subject to the homologation of the circuit.

2011 new entries:
Following the press release of 19 March 2010 calling for expressions of interest to participate in the 2011 and 2012 seasons of the FIA Formula One World Championship, a number of interested parties expressed their interest. It was considered that none of the candidates met the requirements to be granted an entry into the Championship.

Consequently, the allocation of the 13th team will not be granted.

 

[OzBomber]

Damnit BusVet, I was about to start one.

Wonder what the Indian GP will be like. Hopefully, it's not a bore like Bahrain, but it's more than likely. I don't see the point in starting a championship at Bahrain. No one cares about it until the Aus GP starts. Is it because they try and get it over and done with ASAP?

 

[Sven]

Also it was announced that no team has been successful in bidding for the 13th team spot and will keep the number of team entries to 12 for 2011 and 2012.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/9/11217.html

It looks HRT is the only way onto the grid for Villeneuve now....

 

[Alberton_Magpie]

Good idea not including more teams, the last few have been a joke on and off the track

 

[Sven]

More information on the Jaypee Group Circuit (site of the Indian GP) can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaypee_Group_Circuit.

 

[Sven]

Good idea not including more teams, the last few have been a joke on and off the track

I agree, plus the 107% rule is back for 2011. Only teams within 107% of the fastest Q1 time will make it onto the starting grid for each race.

If you take Spa as an example (albeit an extreme example due to weather):

1 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 01:54.8 107% time = 02:02.8
2 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 01:55.4
3 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 01:55.8
4 11 Robert Kubica Renault 01:56.0
5 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 01:56.3
6 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 01:56.7
7 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 01:57.0
8 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 01:57.4
9 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 01:58.0
10 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 01:58.3
11 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 01:58.5
12 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 01:58.7
13 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 01:58.9
14 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 02:00.4
15 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 02:01.1
16 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 02:01.3
17 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 02:01.3
18 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 02:01.5
19 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 02:02.3
20 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 02:03.6
21 20 Sakon Yamamoto HRT-Cosworth 02:03.9
22 22 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 02:05.3
23 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 02:18.8
24 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault No time

then positions 20 through 24 wouldn't have made it. An exemption would have been made in this situation and practice times would also been taken into account, but I'm sure there would have been a number of non-starters.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Any race without Kamui Kamikaze isn't a race worth watching.

 

[Sven]

Any race without Kamui Kamikaze isn't a race worth watching.

my bad - it's 107% - Kamui would have made it!

 

[Sven]

Here's the full scope of rule changes for 2011

The World Motor Sport Council met in Geneva on 23 June 2010. The following decisions were taken:
Tyres
Pirelli has been selected as the single tyre supplier for the FIA Formula One World Championship for a period of three years, commencing in 2011. The sole supplier will undertake to strictly respect the sporting and technical regulations implemented by the FIA.
"Competitor's staff" FIA Licence
A proposal relating to specific licences for members of staff of competitors entered in the FIA World Championships has been submitted to the Formula One Commission. This is under consideration for implementation in the FIA Formula One World Championship from the start of 2011, with a view to inclusion in other FIA World Championships in the future.
Safety Car
With immediate effect, no car may overtake until it has passed the first safety car line for the first time when the safety car is returning to the pits. However, if the safety car is still deployed at the beginning of the last lap, or is deployed during the last lap, it will enter the pit lane at the end of the lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.
General safety
With immediate effect, any car being driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically, or which is deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers, will be reported to the stewards. This will apply whether any such car is being driven on the track, the pit entry or the pit lane.
In order to ensure cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on in-laps during qualifying or reconnaissance laps when the pit exit is opened for the race, drivers must stay below the maximum time set by the FIA between the safety car line after the pit exit and safety car line before the pit entry. The maximum time will be determined by the race director at each event prior to the first day of practice, but may be amended during the event if necessary.
The grid
From 2011, any driver whose best qualifying lap exceeds 107% of the fastest Q1 qualifying time will not be allowed to take part in the race. Under exceptional circumstances, however, which may include setting a suitable lap time in a free practice session, the stewards may permit the car to start the race. Should there be more than one driver accepted in this manner, the grid order will be determined by the stewards.
Driver adjustable bodywork
From 2011, adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed two laps. The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled the first time the driver uses the brakes after the system has been activated. The FIA may, after consulting all the competitors, adjust the time proximity in order to ensure the purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.
Aerodynamic influence
With the exception of the parts necessary for the driver adjustable bodywork, any car system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited from 2011.
Weight
From 2011, the minimum weight of the car must not be less than 640 kg at all times during the event.
Fuel draining
With immediate effect, if a sample of fuel is required after a practice session the car concerned must have first been driven back to the pits under its own power.
Licences
Based on his career résumé and comparative F1 testing times, the World Council has approved the granting of a four-race probationary super license to Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung.

In summary:

Pirelli is the tyre supplier

107% rule is back

Driver adjustable bodywork (to reduce the drag of the wings) to assist overtaking

No driver controlled F Ducts!

The minimum car weight goes up from 620kg to 640kg

 

[rayven]

And 20 races if India works out?

 

[SebastianVettel]

And 20 races if India works out?

Yup.

Should be good.

 

[buck bundy]

The minimum car weight goes up from 620kg to 640kg

Maybe now Webber can put on a kilo or two and fill out the hollow spaces where he cheeks used to be.

Wonder what the Indian GP will be like.

Wouldn't be surprised to see the odd cow wandering the track, and a shanty town to pop up weeks after construction is finished.

 

[SebastianVettel]

Maybe now Webber can put on a kilo or two and fill out the hollow spaces where he cheeks used to be.

Does look a bit like skeletor at present doesn't he!

Shows how hard it is to be a top level open wheel series driver if you're anything over 5'9.

Will help Red Bull with their car design as well. It's pretty hard to design a car around someone who is 6ft plus.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Don't like adjustable bodywork.

Rest aren't too bad.

 

[Sven]

Don't like adjustable bodywork.

Rest aren't too bad.

I'm actually looking forward to it as it will mean that the car behind won't have to be 2+ seconds a lap faster to have a chance to pass. There could be a lot more passing from cars that lose grid spots due to gear box and engine changes, and that can only be good for the sport.

There won't be much of a change at the high downforce tracks like Monaco, Valencia and Hungary as a lengthy straight will be required for the overtaking benefit to be used.

I'd rather have adjustable bodywork than an F duct system where drivers have to take their hands off the steering wheel to get a straight line speed benefit.

 

[Sven]

Does look a bit like skeletor at present doesn't he!

Shows how hard it is to be a top level open wheel series driver if you're anything over 5'9.

Will help Red Bull with their car design as well. It's pretty hard to design a car around someone who is 6ft plus.

The smaller/lighter drivers will still have an advantage because the extra weight to bring the car up to "formula weight" can be added to the car in the form of ballast at strategic points around the car.

With the F duct system being removed and the weight of the car increased there could be a lot of ballast on some of the top cars.

 

[buck bundy]

What about KERS next year?

I gather it is still included in the regs and FOTA are yet to make a decision as to whether teams will run it. Word was a few months ago it was looking likely, but haven't read anything further on it.

Personally I hope it doesn't make a comeback, and if it does it cannot be used off the start line.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I'm actually looking forward to it as it will mean that the car behind won't have to be 2+ seconds a lap faster to have a chance to pass. There could be a lot more passing from cars that lose grid spots due to gear box and engine changes, and that can only be good for the sport.

There won't be much of a change at the high downforce tracks like Monaco, Valencia and Hungary as a lengthy straight will be required for the overtaking benefit to be used.

I'd rather have adjustable bodywork than an F duct system where drivers have to take their hands off the steering wheel to get a straight line speed benefit.

I don't like the idea of being able to overtake by pushing a button. They had that in A1. Look how that worked out.

Look at Abu Dhabi last year, Button v Webber late in the race. There was no actual overtaking but the constant scrap between them was enthralling. With this rule one would just push a button and end it. Boring.

 

[buck bundy]

I don't like the idea of being able to overtake by pushing a button. They had that in A1. Look how that worked out.

Look at Abu Dhabi last year, Button v Webber late in the race. There was no actual overtaking but the constant scrap between them was enthralling. With this rule one would just push a button and end it. Boring.

I don't think it will have that much of an effect TBH, probably less than the f-duct this year.

KERS was more of an advantage in terms of overtaking, and it only really had an effect on those teams that did not have it.

 

[SebastianVettel]

KERS was more of an advantage in terms of overtaking, and it only really had an effect on those teams that did not have it.

KERS last year was stupid IMO - it should have been everybody or no one. I don't like KERS anyway - it's artificial racing, like A1 or IndyCar, but when some have it and some don't, it makes it even more artificial.

 

[Golding]

I think they're pushing the KERS bandwagon because it will have some use on road card (that's what they say anyway).

I think if theyre going to do it they should have it like IndyCars used to be (possibly still are, i dont watch it) and have a push to pass button.

But have it limited to x amount of times per race, so the driver has to make informed decisions as to when to use it.

eg, 50 lap race, cant use it for the first 5 laps, 20 Push To Passes

If they have it and everyone uses it at the same time, whats the point?

 

[Sven]

What about KERS next year?

I gather it is still included in the regs and FOTA are yet to make a decision as to whether teams will run it. Word was a few months ago it was looking likely, but haven't read anything further on it.

Personally I hope it doesn't make a comeback, and if it does it cannot be used off the start line.

The main reason for the car weight increase is so KERS can be used. There's been talk of a standard unit, but I agree with posters above, it's all gone very quiet over the last few months.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I think they're pushing the KERS bandwagon because it will have some use on road card (that's what they say anyway).

I think if theyre going to do it they should have it like IndyCars used to be (possibly still are, i dont watch it) and have a push to pass button.

But have it limited to x amount of times per race, so the driver has to make informed decisions as to when to use it.

eg, 50 lap race, cant use it for the first 5 laps, 20 Push To Passes

If they have it and everyone uses it at the same time, whats the point?

Can we not turn Formula 1 into a video game.

 

[OzBomber]

Can we not turn Formula 1 into a video game.

Even F1 2010 doesn't have KERS.

 

[Deledinho]

Bahrain opening again?! Get ****ed Ecclestone.