New era in Formula 1              7/02/2017

New regulations, new bosses, Formula 1 is really approaching the next season as a new chapter in his more than 65 years.

The new regulations were made in order to bring back one thing that most fans were asking for: more spectacle.

The new cars will look more aggressive due to the rules which affects the chasis of the cars, that this will make them around 5 seconds faster per lap which results in more effort from part of the drivers to drive their cars as, with more downforce, the cars will be faster and harder to keep through the corners. The cars will have less top line speed as the drag will increase, but experts insist that 2017 will be a lots of records beaten 

In addition to the changes at the aero, we have to add the new tyres, which will be bigger in comparison to the ones of the lasts years, which will give an extra grip giving more downforce to the cars. Also is said that this new tyres will have a longer life so drivers will be able to push harder during the race due that they wont be thinking about tyre managment and also about fuel because now the teams will be able to start the race with 5L more, 105L in total. Also the new cars will be able to break later which in addition to the fact that it will be harder to follow for the driver behind, can result in less overtaking. But all this good and bad facts are speculations, we have to wait until the first race at Australia to see how this new F1 works.

The engine doesn´t suffer any structural changes, the only but really big change in comparison to last years rules, is the elimination of the "tokens" now teams will have freedom for developing their engines.

New bosses

After many years under the control of Bernie Ecclestone, Formula 1 has new bosses, with new ideas and new objectives.

The management of Mr. Ecclestone of Formula 1 has been always polemic due to the things he said, for example about social medias or the young F1 fans and his concept of F1 as a business. But I must say that Formula 1 won´t be the king of Motorsport if Ecclestone didn't get the control of it, so we should say thanks to Bernie. 

But any sport is needed of change and now with Liberty Media taking the control I think that F1 will improve in the not sportive part.

Chase Carey: new CEO of Formula 1

Sean Bratches: role in marketing

Ross Brawn: takes control of the sportive part

I like how they separate the different jobs, and specially good is that Ross Brawn, one of the best and more successful F1 team bosses is managing the sportive side.

More spectacle, more teams, more party, more races,...Lets see how this goes.

A new season with not a defending world champion

Just a few days Nico Rosberg won the championship at Abu Dhabi, he announced one of the most shocking news in F1 from the last years: he decided to retired from Formula 1.

The reasons he gave was that this season was so mentally and physically hard to try to win the championship and that was disgusting losing to his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, this years. So once he had achieved that goal, it was enough. Full of respect for that decision, in my opinion a very brave one and he will be missed on the grid.

As a result, the topic for the following weeks was: who is going to replace Nico at Mercedes?: Alonso, Vettel, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Sainz , Bottas, Werhlein?

After many weeks of rumors, the puzzle was completed: 

Bottas, to Mercedes. Leaving his seat to a driver we all though he was going to retire, but Williams wanted for their team an experience driver for this new regulations so Felipe Massa will stay one more season with the Groove team. And Pascal Werhlein new driver of Sauber.

 

All the F1 fans wanted another Alonso vs Hamilton as teammates due to that polemic 2007 at Mclaren, but the british driver didn't want to have Alonso another time in the same garage.

Valtteri Bottas is a driver which follows the attitude of Nico Rosberg: worker, looks for the team, doesn't give any kind of problems, solid results, no mistakes and a fast driver. The finn is really in a big opportunity in his career.

Change of drivers and sponsors

The most important driver transfer has been the one of Bottas to Mercedes, due that this one was in game the best seat in Formula 1, but there has been another changes:

Stoffel Vandoorne to Mclaren Honda, the belgian driver is really one of the most with a high expectation in F1 and with a good preparation he can make a good season if the Mclaren is good enough, he has already race in F1, last year at Bahrain replacing Fernando Alonso due to the crash he had at the last grand prix in Australia. As a result of Vandoorne as new teammate of Alonso, Jenson Button retires 

Esteban Ocon from Manor, to Force India. A step forward from the driver of the Mercedes academy going from the last to the fourth team in 2016

Nico Hulkenberg from Force India to Renault. Always stuck in a midfield team, german driver trust the Renault project although the difficult year the Enstone team had, to try to make a step forward in his career he has been looking the past years. Carlos Sainz was related to this team, but Red Bull didn't let the spaniard go.

 

Keving Magnussen from Renault to Haas. After not signed for another year to Renault Magnussen decided to go the american team.

Esteban Gutierez and Felipe Nasr didn't find a seat for this season. Esteban due to his bad results with zero points and Felipe although he took the only two points for Sauber this season, he wasn't renovated and the points let Sauber overtook Manor which finish last which means less money and this team wont be continuing in Formula 1

And the only rookie this season, the 18 year old: Lance Stroll, son of a very rich person, the canadian driver will be another pay driver although in lower categories he had really good results. He will be driving for Williams.  

Exxon Mobil 1 leaves Mclaren after 20 years of sponsorship ang giving their fuel to the Woking team, and goes to Red Bull Racing, that another time gets another classical sponsor of Mclaren like happened last year with TAG heuer.

BP castrol joins Renault and Mclaren as a new fuel supplier.

Banco do Brasil wont sponsor any more Sauber.

Total wont be the fuel supplier of any team after Renault and Red Bull got a new one.  

The topic that is around the F1 community is: how will the new Mclaren look like? After several tweets and different posts on  the social media the idea of an orange Mclaren is really high, also now with Ron Dennis anymore the team boss the "MP4" will disappear from the name of the car that will be called: MCL32

We will get out of doubts the next 24 of February. 

Dates of the 2017 car launch:

20th of February: Sauber F1 Team

21st of February: Reanult Sport F1

22nd of February: Sahara Force India

23rd of February: Mercedes AMG Petronas

24th of February: Scuderia Ferrari & Mclaren Honda

26th of February: Scuderia Toro Rosso

Red Bull, Williams and Haas, still have to confirm their dates.

Bye Manor

After 7 years in Formula 1, 3 different names and only 3 points, the third team that joined F1 in 2010 wont be competing next season in F1 the same as the other teams last seasons that joined that same year: HRT and lotus (later Caterham). Since 2014 Manor has been with economic troubles and after a change in 2016 looking for stability and good results on track, not being the worst car and even scoring one point, at Brazil the two points that Nasr score for Sauber, were enough for Manor for not being able to pay and because a new owner didn't appear the team cant continue in F1. Another time money has destroyed a Formula 1 team.

 

After more than a year without writing here, is good to be back!

Nico Sammarco Isern

@gp_epicmoments

nico_i_1998@hotmail.com