The sidepods will feature an angled leading edge, as mooted from the start of the new regulation discussions. Capturing and managing airflow coming around the nose and lower front wishbone will be made much easier by these changes. It can then extend all the way back towards the sidepod, avoiding a small exclusion zone in roughly the same region as this year, ending on the floor’s ‘axe head’. The bargeboard can start much further forward than previously, less than half a metre from the front wheel centre line, and cannot exceed 475mm in height. Although recent developments from Mercedes have proved that there is still progress to be made in this area, their overall size will finally increase once again for 2017. More radical bargeboard designs coming?Since 2009 the bargeboard regulations have been very restricted, with bodywork only allowed within a tight fitting ‘box’ tucked just ahead of the sidepod. Instead the FIA have defined a 500mm radius within which these parts can lie. There have been no regulation changes surrounding the design of the flap elements and endplates which isn’t surprising considering how late the rules have been published.
The wing has not moved any closer to the front wheel behind as a result of these changes, instead the nose has been extended forward to meet the main plane. The wing must be offset rearward by 200mm at the outboard section, resulting in a roughly 12.5 degree back-sweep. However, rather than having a straight leading edge, it will be angled away from the oncoming airflow along with the rest of the wing. The neutral Y250 section at the centre of the wing will remain. While the extra width will provide the ability to produce more downforce, the teams still have to manage airflow through a 200mm gap between the outer tips of the wing and the periphery of the car – this is 50mm more than at present so expect even more extravagant designs next year.
F1 2017 CAR DESIGN FULL
The front wing will be widened to 1,800mm – this is the same as seen during the 2009-2013 seasons, though in those seasons they extended to the full width of the car which will not be the case in 2017. It remains to be seen which will get the go-ahead.Ĭompare F1 Fanatic’s images of the current and planned designs to see what the 2017 regulations will mean for the next generation of cars. The FIA has signalled its intention to introduce some form of enhanced cockpit protection using either the Halo or Aeroscreen options which have been tested over the last three months. There is one final technical change yet to be decided. The sport is pursuing a more aggressive look for the cars, mandating a delta-shaped front wing, leant back sidepod inlets and new rear wing end plates. The front and rear wing configuration, which has had roughly the same unusual arrangement since the Overtaking Working Group changes of 2009, will also feature substantial changes. And it isn’t just just the chassis which is getting wider – so are the tyres. The narrow-track format introduced in 1998 will be banished and two-metre wide cars, last seen in 1997, will return.
The 2017 rules will see a reversal of key changes introduced during the past two decades. Three years after F1’s engine revolution, next season will see the sport introduce its biggest overhaul of the aerodynamic regulations in almost 20 years.