FIA is nowadays working on the new rule book for the 2013 F1 Championship and beyond. For certain is the inclusion of 1.6L turbo engines with KERS associated, generating something by 650 bhp. Although, in order to keep the cars as fast, or at least just slightly slower than nowadays, the proposal is to bring back the aerodinamic concept of "the wing car", when cars where built as if they were an inverted airplane wing, using the Venturi effect which was responsable for a much greater grip hability to the cars.

The Ground Effect concept was responsable for some of the most catastrophic accidents in the F1 history, like the ones of Gilles Villeneuve, Didier Pironi and Patrick Depailler, but the truth is that the knowledge and technology used in the late 70's and early 80's, plus the short care for car safety measures, have nothing to compare with what is seen in F1 nowadays.

What is your opinion in this matter? Do you think it might be good for F1 or that it is too dangerous?

You are right, but I have the excuse by searching for the ground effect theme and not the Turbo charged engines one...

Everyone is talking about more or less power, not about the "wing cars" or how this feature will influence F1 in 2013.

I love the idea of turbo's returning. Adjustable boost is a major contributing factor to both overtaking, and strategy with cars running at different speeds at different points in the race.

Ground effect sounds like a good way of getting over the mechanical versus aerodynamic grip deficit which is effecting how closely cars can run to each other.

Technology has moved on so much since the first appearance of ground effect cars in F1. We now have ground effect boats ( ekranoplan ) capable of over 600mph over water and that's a very unpredictable surface. So i'm sure F1 will manage to find a way to do it safer than the old 70's cars

At first i was thinking like "Nooo, they will ruin F1", but after a few thoughts about it, i think they are moving in the right direction, the direction fans want

Quote :

ground effects

Quote from aroX123 :

the direction fans want

I see wut u did thar.

I thought the ekranoplan predated F1 ground effect? Isn't it a Russkie Cold War invention? It is an amazing sight though.

Car safety and track safety (catch fencing - what were they thinking?) is much better now and as skirts are still banned the effect should not be as pronounced or as sensitive, I would imagine.

Quote from Becky Rose :

We now have ground effect boats ( ekranoplan )

entiely different type of ground effect

Quote :

capable of over 600mph over water and that's a very unpredictable surface.

actually they only work on a nice and smooth sea which has the advanage of not having any mountains or hills

I believe the technology nowadays will permit a safer execution of this concept. In fact we are assuming ground effect cars as the old "wing cars", and that might not be the case. But even so, today they might get the same kind of "suction" without the problems and risks inherited by the side skirts. The car had to be low and really close to the floor, but high enough to never hit the ground in any circumstances, or else... the wing car takes a flight. That is my only concerne, if the cars won't get dangerous, although all the technological evolution and new materials...

In theory, this concept is really ingenius. The smallest amount of air running over and under the car keeps it glued to the track and the turbulence from the car ahead won't bother it. As in the early 80's, it promises great show on wheels.

at least make 'em have V6'es.

Let's give them free rules but a limited budget!
Build your beasts!!!

Quote from Dennis93 :

Let's give them free rules but a limited budget!
Build your beasts!!!

I'm thinking something like this. Ban wings and pretty much anything what makes downforce, so they have to rely on mechanical grip. Ban pretty much everything electronical beside the injection and ignition system. Also no turbos or any other way of charging, so we will end up with N/A engines. No KERS. And then most importantly make the engine design more free so there could be bigger engines in V, flat or straight form.

Could be interesting.

Oh and also include Nordschleife in race calendar.

Yes I know never gonna happen.

The rules pretty much have to direct the development a certain way, if we want to have developments from F1 that are useful in other areas.
I just hope they will develop new turbo technology that can be used on roadcars

Quote from Dennis93 :

Let's give them free rules but a limited budget!
Build your beasts!!!

If they did that people would die due to speeds, and there would be terrable racing to boot lol. Imagine if they used NASCAR Stock car motors that produced 850 Horse Power opposed to the 650 (I think) that they are pulling as it is. They could super charge those engines as well you know.

Quote from BigPeBe :

I'm thinking something like this. Ban wings and pretty much anything what makes downforce, so they have to rely on mechanical grip. Ban pretty much everything electronical beside the injection and ignition system. Also no turbos or any other way of charging, so we will end up with N/A engines. No KERS. And then most importantly make the engine design more free so there could be bigger engines in V, flat or straight form.

Could be interesting.

Oh and also include Nordschleife in race calendar.

Yes I know never gonna happen.

That's like a road racing NASCAR.

-Very few Electronics
-No driving assists
-Little downforce
-No Turbo
-No KERS

Only very much lighter cars, and fully road racing rather than 34 oval races and 2 road. I'm with you as far as most of that goes other than the free engine modifications. Somebody'd get a huge advantage over everybody else rather quickly.

Quote from Cornys :

If they did that people would die due to speeds, and there would be terrable racing to boot lol. Imagine if they used NASCAR Stock car motors that produced 850 Horse Power opposed to the 650 (I think) that they are pulling as it is. They could super charge those engines as well you know.

Atleast we'd get some action then!

Quote from Cornys :

If they did that people would die due to speeds, and there would be terrable racing to boot lol. Imagine if they used NASCAR Stock car motors that produced 850 Horse Power opposed to the 650 (I think) that they are pulling as it is. They could super charge those engines as well you know.

Nascar engines are putting out about 800 horsepower, actually roughly the same as an F1 engine, though obviously the delivery is totally different.

More power dosen't always = better racing

I'd at least like to see manufacturers being free to chose the engine configuration, teams chosing to build cars to take advantage of the merits of different engine layouts could help create better racing, the rules have narrowed things down to the point where cars are too similarly matched over an entire lap to promote good racing, and it looks like thats set to continue.

Quote from DeKo :

Nascar engines are putting out about 800 horsepower, actually roughly the same as an F1 engine, though obviously the delivery is totally different.

Delivery is definitly different, but I'm pretty sure a Sprint Cup car gets aprox. 832 horse power. Wikipedia fails, but: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_Cup_Series