Season F1 2017 is over, the current cars will only roll in the next tests that will be held this week to mount grids with sensors of various types to try to collect data for future developments. In addition to that, the compounds of the Pirelli tires for 2018 will also be tested, which as you know have been modified compared to the current ones.
In addition, Pirelli has not only modified the current compounds in order to improve their performance for F1 2018, but also has introduced new compounds. with a total of 7 compounds for dry and 2 for wet the same as now. Now we will have more colors to differentiate them, such as orange for super hard, blue for hard, medium with white stripe, soft marked yellow, super soft would be red, ultra soft would be purple, and hyper soft would be pink. Being the novelties the hypersoft and the superhard…
Good, but apart from this, the teams will work on their designs to improve the performance of their cars from the current season and face the new technical standards to be introduced for 2018:
- Three engines for 21 races: from the current 4 engines, it will be moved to a limit of 3 engines for the entire coming season. That will benefit Ferrari and Mercedes and weigh down Renault and Honda, in addition to stopping the innovations that will be introduced in the engines and forcing motorists to be more conservative with their developments if they do not want to penalize in the last races. By the way, remember that it will also be controlled a lot the burning of oil and fuel in combustion. The FIA will also be stricter regarding the analyzes carried out on gasoline and could limit the expense invested in this regard.
- Halo and biometric gloves: these are two purely safety measures that are incorporated for the first time in 2018 and the gloves depend on the first. The halo will improve the driver's safety in the event of impact from loose tires or large pieces that could hit the helmet, even in the event that one car is mounted on top of another as we have seen in some cases. But on the other hand, it will make the extraction of the driver much more complicated in case he is trapped or unconscious, that is why biometric gloves are needed that, through telemetry, will give information on the driver's vital signs while he remains inside the car, something that will help doctors to know the state of health. In addition, the halo will make the car heavier, so the teams will work to lighten their designs and also because this system affects the aerodynamics less, since it literally destroys it… That is why they need to make measurements as we have seen to see the flow that enters the airbox and how it affects the air that travels to the rear. We will probably see slightly different shapes of the airbox or perhaps certain aerodynamic appendages added to the halo to redirect airflow.
- Banned T-Wings: T-wings on the rear of cars will be banned for next year, this will also affect the flow past the rear wing, forcing engineers to think of alternatives.
- Shark fin removed: the shark fin, before the FIA rule that prohibited it and the resource of all the teams so that it would be allowed again in 2018 with the abstention of McLaren, leaves this aerodynamic element eliminated due to lack of unanimity. Zak Brown didn't want it because he covers up the rear wing a lot, the reason may be having a major sponsor for that area in 2018. So everyone will have to work hard so the flows don't break on their way to the rear wing. This fin helps in this regard, but it also has a very negative impact on corners when there is a crosswind, acting like a wall that provides enormous resistance and can destabilize the car. And I suppose that the addition of the halo does not help in the search for solutions to improve the rear flow…
- Monkey seat absent: the famous monkey seat, the small aerodynamic profile under the rear wing also disappears by regulation in 2018. This element was located on the single exhaust and generates downforce. When that rear load disappears, it should be sought in another way with the improvement of the diffuser and flat bottom or other rear elements that some engineers could pull out of the sleeve. Improving the efficiency of the rear wing will also help fill the gap left by this new standard.
- Limited space for the third shock absorber- Due to the Mercedes FRIC and suspension controversies in 2016, the space for the third shock absorber will limit this by reducing the dedicated space in the nose for it.
- 360º cameras: The 1 F2018 will have 360º cameras located on the car at some point on its body to give a better view of what is happening around it. These cameras could, in principle, be placed at different points playing with the distribution of weights according to the interest of the engineers who deal with vehicle dynamics and that does not harm the interests of the aerodynamicists.
- Other changes: Apart from all this, there will also be more strictness in other measures, such as the central section of the front wing, materials and dimensions of the plates and skids of the flat bottom, limiting the number of screws so that it does not exceed 10% of the total volume of the components, the intake air of the engine must be at +10ºC with respect to the ambient temperature, standardization of the pressure and temperature sensors, transverse location of the oil system, redefinitions of the measurements of the monocoque and other elements of the cockpit, although certain frontal impact structures have been limited, the famous current protruding noses will continue to exist, some other adjustments in the position of certain elements of the power unit, etc.
With all this we can get an idea of how the cars could be, but our imagination is not enough... Surely when we see the first designs of 2018 we are surprised by some strange concepts or designs. In any case, we will be attentive and we will sign up to see the F1 as we have always done.