“The cars are going to look very different this year,” Mike Elliott, the technical director of world champion constructors Mercedes, told his team web site recently.
Some changes, however, will be invisible.
“The cutting-edge turbo-hybrid engines” will have “more standardised parts plus use 10% biofuel,” explained the F1 site, boasting that it already had the “most efficient engines ever created.”
The most noticable change will be the fatter tyres, now 18 inches rather than 13 inches, but the most far-reaching will be in another, more localised, environmental battle: against dirty air.
F1 had become a victim of its own cutting-edge technology as changes to improve aerodynamics and downforce increased the turbulence that causes cars close behind to lose grip on corners and overheat.
This years rules are a complete “reset” said Red Bull.
“It’d be easier to detail which parts of the aero rules aren’t changing, because there aren’t any,” stated the Red Bull web site.
F1 called the changes “a new aerodynamic philosophy aimed at helping cars follow each other much closer through the corners without losing downforce.”
“Racing will be less predictable, more spectacular and drivers will be able to race each other harder than ever.”
The changes, including ramped up chassis safety rules, means the minimum weight will increase from 752kg to 790kg
“The new car is a big unit,” said Red Bull.
Red Bull was set to showcase its new RB18 model on Wednesday (Feb 9). Mercedes unveil their W13 model on Feb 18, with speculation that the Silver Arrows will drop the black paint that driver Lewis Hamilton favours.
Last Saturday (Feb 5), Lewis Hamilton seemed to answer questions about whether he will return to seek revenge on Verstappen.
He tweeted a photo of himself, on what looked like the rim of the Grand Canyon, with the caption: “I’ve been gone. Now I’m back!”