F1 2021 and beyond...

Liberty appear to be making progress on the financial restructuring of the sport and it could see the top teams lose up to £155m in prize money *cough*Ferrari*cough* with the other top teams also losing out substantially.

However this is because they intend to impose a spend cap - thought to be set at £122m - which is closer to what the smaller teams spend each season and significantly less than the £275m Mercedes spent last season.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/liberty-media-collision-course-f1-075800934.html

Ross Brawn has also revealed he is considering scrapping practice sessions, in an effort to further reduce costs, as well as freeing up time in the calendar to expand the season to 25 races.

Needless to say Ferrari are collectively spitting their dummies out over this. Still this is one thing I am 100% behind. The rewards system needs to be merit based, with no special handouts, based on historical participation or "perceived worth" to the sport.

While a spending cap in theory is a good idea to encourage greater involvement and reduce the gap between the top teams and everyone else, I am worried it will lead to a lack of innovation. Plus I wonder how this will be enforced on a practical level. Didn't they already try something like this before, only to then admit it was impossible to determine exactly what the teams were spending?

The new engine regulations should be getting released pretty soon. Will update this as and when I find anything (or feel free to post a reply if you beat me to it).

Ferrari & Mercedes will threaten to walk away. FIA will curl up in a ball when they realize that'll happen zero will change bar the calendar.

I do think just give them a 3 hour practice on Saturday morning would be better then Fridays.

But its not the FIA that is behind this...its Liberty. I also think they should call Ferrari's bluff if they do threaten to walk away (they're the only ones making any noise at the moment).

What are they gonna do if Liberty go ahead with the changes? Go to Le Mans, IndyCars or Touring Cars? They could, but none of those series have the same prestige or exposure that F1 gives. I think as long as its financially viable they will stay with F1. Think there would be huge pressure from the tifosi to continue as well.

Also forgot to mention that viewing-wise they intend to begin a subscription-based streaming service, which will enable people to watch online, without paying for TV subscription services.

Of course this doesn't apply to the UK, as Sky's contract means they will remain the exclusive F1 broadcasters fromm 2019 onwards.

If they change the engines i wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes walked due to amount of money they've put in. Ferrari could do what they want they bring a sh*t load of $$$ to F1. If Liberty push too hard i wouldn't be surprised to see Ferrari/Mercedes possibly even RB start their own series in 2022-24 etc.

Fernando wrote:If they change the engines i wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes walked due to amount of money they've put in. Ferrari could do what they want they bring a sh*t load of $$$ to F1. If Liberty push too hard i wouldn't be surprised to see Ferrari/Mercedes possibly even RB start their own series in 2022-24 etc.

Have you any idea how much money it costs to set up a racing series from scratch? I don't, but I bet it would be far more than they stand to lose.


First they'd need to attract a bunch of other entrants. I doubt there would be much interest in a 3-team series.
Then they'd need to sort out venues (and pay the owners).
They'd also need to get permission from the FIA.
They'd have to attract sponsors...and many of the biggest global companies already invest heavily in other series.
They'd have to negotiate broadcast deals.

Plus they would be in competition with F1. Unless they did things a lot differently, why would fans follow it? Basically it would be a massive gamble. A huge investment with no guarantee of making any kind profit.

Also I highly doubt Mercedes would walk unless they have a drastic downturn in fortunes. Even with the loss of revenue, having those driver & constructors' titles, plus a global star like Lewis Hamilton to promote your brand has to be worth a lot.

Red Bull are a massive brand and can afford to take the hit. Though they might decide to withdraw any remaining support for Toro Rosso.

Williams & McLaren receive around £18m each as "historically important" teams.
Mercedes & Red Bull get around £50m each in bonuses.
Ferrari stand to lose the most with their bonuses being worth an estimated £155m.

Also don't forget these losses would (or should) be mitigated by the spend cap. For example Mercedes spent around £275m last season. The spend cap being considered is around £122m. Even if you upped it to £150m thats still a big reduction in costs that would more than cancel out the reduction in prize money.

The new engine formula for 2021 has been announced.

In a nutshell:

- 1.6 litre V6 (single) turbo
- RPM increased to 15,000
- removal of MGU-H (harvests energy from the turbo but mutes engine noise)
- more powerful MGU-K (harvests energy from rear axle)
- standardised battery & control electronics

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/41820129

So just as engine performance amongst teams are starting to standardise they are planning to change it again which means 1 of the teams will come out with a great design (like Mercedes did this time around) and be dominant.

The Ferrari engine is pretty close to catching up and now their planning to mix it all up again.

nathan wrote:So just as engine performance amongst teams are starting to standardise they are planning to change it again which means 1 of the teams will come out with a great design (like Mercedes did this time around) and be dominant.

The Ferrari engine is pretty close to catching up and now their planning to mix it all up again.

That’s F1, hence why it’s pretty much defined by era’s of domination.

World champions Mercedes have cast doubt on the new engine regulations proposed for Formula 1 in 2021.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff says he has "strong scepticism" about whether the ideas are the right way forward.

An outline of potential rules has been published by governing body the FIA and commercial rights holder the F1 Group.

"This is their vision and proposal and we haven't accepted it. The flaw of the concept is that it's a completely new engine and new investment," said Wolff.

The FIA and F1 have proposed keeping the current engine architecture of a 1.6-litre turbo V6 hybrid but removing one of the two hybrid elements, increasing the power of the other, introducing driver-controlled hybrid deployment and standardising some parts.

Their aim is to reduce costs, improve the quality of the racing and the sound created by the engines, and enable independent companies to come into F1 and compete with the car manufacturers as engine suppliers.

But Wolff said he was "surprised" that the FIA had published so much detail on the new engine when the manufacturers had been told in a meeting on the same day that the plans were "a proposal of a vision for 2021" that would be subject to further discussion and refinement at F1's various rule-making entities.

He added: "It portrays it in a way of this is how we're going forward and none of the current OEMs (car manufacturers in F1) was particularly impressed."

He said the proposals as published would mean "developing a new engine concept that will trigger immense costs" for the car manufacturers in F1 - Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda - "just for the sake of having a new concept".

dyrewolfe wrote:

Fernando wrote:If they change the engines i wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes walked due to amount of money they've put in. Ferrari could do what they want they bring a sh*t load of $$$ to F1. If Liberty push too hard i wouldn't be surprised to see Ferrari/Mercedes possibly even RB start their own series in 2022-24 etc.

Have you any idea how much money it costs to set up a racing series from scratch? I don't, but I bet it would be far more than they stand to lose.


First they'd need to attract a bunch of other entrants. I doubt there would be much interest in a 3-team series.
Then they'd need to sort out venues (and pay the owners).
They'd also need to get permission from the FIA.
They'd have to attract sponsors...and many of the biggest global companies already invest heavily in other series.
They'd have to negotiate broadcast deals.

Plus they would be in competition with F1. Unless they did things a lot differently, why would fans follow it? Basically it would be a massive gamble. A huge investment with no guarantee of making any kind profit.

Also I highly doubt Mercedes would walk unless they have a drastic downturn in fortunes. Even with the loss of revenue, having those driver & constructors' titles, plus a global star like Lewis Hamilton to promote your brand has to be worth a lot.

Red Bull are a massive brand and can afford to take the hit. Though they might decide to withdraw any remaining support for Toro Rosso.

Williams & McLaren receive around £18m each as "historically important" teams.
Mercedes & Red Bull get around £50m each in bonuses.
Ferrari stand to lose the most with their bonuses being worth an estimated £155m.

Also don't forget these losses would (or should) be mitigated by the spend cap. For example Mercedes spent around £275m last season. The spend cap being considered is around £122m. Even if you upped it to £150m thats still a big reduction in costs that would more than cancel out the reduction in prize money.

Absolutely, spot on summary.

The big teams will bite their gums and gnash their teeth and perhaps trying to influence a change of plan from Liberty Media and Ross Brawn but if they don't get it they'll knuckle down and get on with it.

Fernando wrote:World champions Mercedes have cast doubt on the new engine regulations proposed for Formula 1 in 2021.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff says he has "strong scepticism" about whether the ideas are the right way forward.

An outline of potential rules has been published by governing body the FIA and commercial rights holder the F1 Group.

"This is their vision and proposal and we haven't accepted it. The flaw of the concept is that it's a completely new engine and new investment," said Wolff.

The FIA and F1 have proposed keeping the current engine architecture of a 1.6-litre turbo V6 hybrid but removing one of the two hybrid elements, increasing the power of the other, introducing driver-controlled hybrid deployment and standardising some parts.

Their aim is to reduce costs, improve the quality of the racing and the sound created by the engines, and enable independent companies to come into F1 and compete with the car manufacturers as engine suppliers.

But Wolff said he was "surprised" that the FIA had published so much detail on the new engine when the manufacturers had been told in a meeting on the same day that the plans were "a proposal of a vision for 2021" that would be subject to further discussion and refinement at F1's various rule-making entities.

He added: "It portrays it in a way of this is how we're going forward and none of the current OEMs (car manufacturers in F1) was particularly impressed."

He said the proposals as published would mean "developing a new engine concept that will trigger immense costs" for the car manufacturers in F1 - Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda - "just for the sake of having a new concept".

Yeah - I'd take that with a pinch of salt.

While technically the new regs would require a complete engine redesign, they would still be working with the same engine architecture, for the most part, and would simply have to adjust the tolerances, dimensions & component placement. Its not as though they are being asked to go back to V8 / V12 normally aspirated engines, for example, or some weird configuration like an in-line 5-cylinder design.

All the new proposals require is for them to lose the MGU-H, beef up the MGU-K and rev 3000rpm higher. The control electronics would be standardised, so they wouldn't have to do any R&D there.

They're just making a fuss because it means some extra expense and R&D work. In the context of F1 expenditure I doubt its going to be THAT huge.

Sure the engines will be less efficient without the MGU-H, but IMO F1 was going up a blind alley there. The vast majority of the sport's carbon footprint comes from the testing & building of the cars, plus transporting the teams and their gear all over the world. The fuel used on race day is pretty insignificant in comparison.


The new regs have also piqued the interest of a couple of former big names...Ilmor and Cosworth...

Independent engine companies Ilmor and Cosworth have backed Formula 1's proposed new rules as a potential entry route for new competitors.

The pair say it is almost impossible for a new company to compete with the current engine suppliers under the existing rules.

Cosworth managing director Bruce Wood said: "The current regulation is beyond any new entrant, technically and for the commercial investment it requires.

"The new proposal makes it possible for an independent or existing car company."

Cosworth was the last independent engine manufacturer to take part in F1, before pulling out after 2013.

Steve Miller, managing director of Ilmor which ran the Mercedes F1 engine programme until the early 2000s, said the new rules proposed last week by governing body the FIA and the F1 Group from 2021 "open the scope to a much broader range of manufacturers" by making it cheaper to design and build an F1 engine.

However, both companies say they would need investment from an external backer before they could contemplate making an F1 engine, even under the proposed new rules.

Ilmor and Cosworth, in exclusive interviews with BBC Sport, say:

  - Changing and simplifying the engine rules is effectively the only way F1 could attract new engine companies

  - Even under the new rules proposal, small companies such as them would still need a partnership with a car company to design and build an F1 engine
   
  - Removing the MGU-H is key if F1 wants new entrants

   It will always be difficult for smaller companies to compete on a level playing field with giants such as Mercedes and Ferrari, whatever the rules

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/41886707

In an update to the previous post, Ross Brawn has said F1 can't continue with the current engines, if it is to remain a viable sport in the long term.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/41986411

While they are technological masterpieces and brilliant in terms of improving fuel efficiency, they are not good racing engines...

- too expensive
- too complex
- too unreliable
- too quiet

He reiterated the point that the cost of the current powerplants makes F1 prohibitively expensive to many potential entrants and also pointed out that the frequent need to replace components and the resulting grid penalties are making F1 "a farce".

He is however open-minded about possible solutions to achieve the FIA's objectives of making engines more affordable and louder, while maintaining relevance to road cars and achieving good fuel consumption.

Brawn says he was "a little bit shocked at the response we've had", because the manufacturers had all been involved in a series of meetings that led to the proposal.

"Reflecting on it, maybe we could have presented it differently," Brawn said. "But I didn't anticipate the response to be as strong as it was.

"We've had another meeting since then and I've made that comment. If that is the the thing people are most upset about, then I apologise. But let's not lose sight of what we are trying to do. If they were uncomfortable with the way it was presented, it wasn't intended that way."

He says he is open-minded about potential solutions "as long as those principles that we've set out are achieved".

He added: "If a manufacturer can demonstrate that there is a better way of doing it than what has been proposed - i.e. it is cheaper, it is more appealing to the fans, it is something that a new supplier could engage with; any of those factors - then why not?

"We are not wedded to specific solutions. We think with the expertise that we've got and the work we've done, these are the solutions that can work.

"If somebody suggests another solution that they think will achieve the same objective, we are not going to say no."

GPDA membership hits 100% for "possibly the first time in history".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/42314309

All current drivers have signed up to the union, due to concerns over the sport's future.

Alexander Wurz, chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, said the organisation had 100% membership "for maybe the first time in history".

Wurz said all drivers had now joined the GPDA because "F1 is entering a period of evolution, change and perhaps even a degree of turmoil.

"They recognise they must be united and represented to face that challenge."

World champions Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen were among those who had not officially joined the GPDA in recent years.

Wurz, a former F1 driver for the Benetton, McLaren and Williams, said the drivers wanted to "prevent any politics or power fights from ultimately compromising on-track performance. The drivers believe unity is fundamental for the sport's success".

It seems the drivers were one of the main proponents of the new regs introduced this season, to make them faster, harder to drive and generally more aggressive-looking...and had in fact been pushing for something like this for some time. However they still have many other concerns, which we can only hope will be addressed fairly soon (at least, I imagine most fans would be happy to see them addressed):

Wurz said the drivers had been pleased about the effects of rule changes for the 2017 season, before Liberty took over.

These made the cars faster, harder to drive and more dramatic, and the tyres more durable so the drivers can race harder for longer. The drivers were instrumental in pushing for these changes.

"We are all particularly proud that the new cars, with their faster cornering speeds, had such great effect," Wurz said. "The drivers love them and we have seen an instant increase in viewership and followers.

"The GPDA pushed for this rule direction for the last three years. Happy drivers are F1's best sales tool."

But the drivers continue to have a number of areas of concern. Among these are:

- the increasing use of asphalt run-off areas and subsequent abuse of track limits
- the rise of pay TV and fewer viewers/followers as a result
- over-regulation and the penalty system
- the difficulty of overtaking and lack of track action
- negative press spirals due to political fights via the media
- the lack of noise from engines
- badly thought-out television camera angles that do not portray the speed and drama of the cars
- the differences in the budgets between the leading and other teams and the resulting gaps in performance

Wurz said: "We are glad that Liberty and their technical research team followed the GPDA's suggestion from more than a year ago, where we wished for a less sensitive airflow concept of aerodynamic-related rules in order to be able to race closer. That's just one example and one of many the drivers have in mind."

Its nice to see the drivers really do seem to have the sport's best interests in mind and aren't just happy picking up their pay cheques and doing as they're told.

Okay, a further update on what we can expect in a couple of years.

Ross Brawn and his team of engineers have been pretty busy and have apparently got some ideas on how to re-engineer the rear aerodynamics, so that following cars get hit with less "dirty air".

Currently its estimated that following cars can lose up to 50% of their downforce, if they get too close, i.e. within overtaking distance of the car in front.

So they have concentrated on producing aero that pushes the dirty air upwards and away from the car behind. They are also trying to come up with a front aero solution that is less sensitive to dirty air, to give designers more scope for development (so that small changes won't destabilise the car / degrade its performance.

There will be more focus on under-floor aero, but wing design will clearly still be critical.

They are also looking at how the cars can be more aesthetically pleasing and asked an external design team to come up with concepts for a future F1 car. They came up with 5 designs and it seems the one below is the one that was agreed on by Liberty and Brawn.



According to Pat Symonds (technical director of the design team) the work they've done so far has managed to reduce the downforce loss for following cars quite dramatically:

"When conditions are good, if we can ensure they are not broken down, then we've made a difference of many tens of per cent of performance of the following car," he says.

So, under optimal race conditions, at least, we could see much closer racing and overtaking. But Symonds is keen to stress they haven't worked out all the details yet.

The other major change will be to the wheels. From 2021 onwards F1 cars will be sporting 18-inch wheels with low profile tyres, instead of the 13-inch ones they currently have.

This is because the design team also identified movement of the tyre side wall as a cause of aerodynamic disturbance. Smaller side walls = less movement.

Full article here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/47422390?isBumped=0&postFreq=0&isEmpty=0&isProfane=0&tooLong=0&charCount=0&isAwaitingProcessPreMod=0&isSubmitted=1&filter=none&initial_page_size=10&postId=133944135#comment_133944135

So a few more details have emerged about how Liberty and the FIA intend to create a more level playing field, in the near future. They will be meeting with the teams to discuss:

Cap on teams' annual budgets, starting in either 2020 or 2021 at a figure above $200m (£151m) a year and reducing to below $150m (£114m) within three or four years
Revised revenue distribution in an attempt to narrow the gap in income between the top teams and the rest
Revised governance to end the current system where only six of the 10 teams have a formal say on rules
An outline of technical rules that will be aimed at making the cars able to race more closely
Revised engine rules, keeping the current 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids but with changes to make them louder
A change to the rules governing how many parts teams can buy from rivals while still meeting the requirement of being a constructor in their own right

Full article here

Refuelling could be brought back for the 2021 season:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/48971037

Jean Todt, the president of governing body the FIA, said he would like to bring back the practice, which was outlawed before the 2010 season.

Todt said a final decision would be made on the basis of a study on the potential effects.

"Personally, I would like to see refuelling, but I am happy to see a study on the positives and negatives," said Todt.

He said one of the benefits would be that the cars would be lighter at the start of a race as well as smaller.

Drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have said in recent weeks that the cars are too heavy, as part of a renewed campaign by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association to influence the future of the sport.

The cars have increased in weight in recent years by as much as 150kg as a result of the introduction of hybrid engines.

"The cars have become too heavy which is something we have discussed," said Todt, team boss of Ferrari during the team's dominant era from 2000-2004.

Personally I really hope it does happen. Will it make for more exciting races? Not necessarily...but it does give teams more tactical options and adds another layer of complexity to pit stops.

Cars can start races lighter - so drivers can push harder and won't need to nurse their tyres through the first stint. No need for fuel management towards the end of races, so no need for drivers to use fuel saving modes, or "lift and coast".

Combined with the other reg changes being planned for 2021, I think it could really make positive difference.

More behind the scenes stuff being talked about.

Seems tyres are top of the agenda once again and Pirelli are back in the firing line - possibly unfairly. The drivers seem to be taking matters more into their own hands and are publicly stating their unhappiness with the current state of affairs.

More importantly though, senior engineers appear to have pinpointed just why the tyres are failing to deliver the performance being demanded by the drivers. Whether they can exert enough influence to make the necessary changes happen is another matter.

Was surprised to learn Pirelli decide themselves on the tyre spec and it requires 70% agreement among the teams, or intervention by the FIA on safety grounds for them to change it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/49009359

Many people in F1 feel that the Pirelli tyres are perhaps the single biggest reason why drivers struggle to race hard and close.

Prime among those are the drivers themselves. After years of trying to change things behind the scenes, they have stepped things up a gear and are subtly exerting pressure, both with public utterances and in private meetings. And it seems to be paying off.

F1's bosses - particularly managing director Ross Brawn - have until recently brushed off questions about the tyres being a major concern. But things are changing.

From apparently not listening, sources say F1 and the FIA have now woken up to this being a serious issue.

The tyres used in F1 only work in a narrow temperature range, and they are much more prone to overheating when worked hard than previous tyres supplied by other companies. When they overheat, they lose grip and the driver has to fall back to cool them down again. And this happens very quickly, so typically a driver has only a lap or two in 'dirty air' before suffering this problem.

Or as one senior engineer put it: "Want to fix racing? Just make tyres that don't saturate behind another car."

Pirelli, to be clear, was asked to produce tyres that had high levels of degradation, although it's a moot point whether the way the tyres behave currently is what was actually meant.

F1 technical chief Pat Symonds, a very experienced engineer who has worked for Benetton, Renault and Williams, said: "We were asking completely the wrong things of Pirelli over the last few years. The high-degradation target was not the way to go."

Latest proposed design for 2021:



Looks like some significant ground effect aero just below & in front of the side pods.


As I mentioned before, refuelling is also back on the agenda. While everyone acknowledges, it is more of a "sticking plaster" solution, it does help address the weight increase of the cars (around 150kg - thanks almost entirely to the hybrid power trains) and the increased stress this puts on the tyres.


Increased standardisation of parts also cropped up again...teams aren't happy about that either:

Among the proposals aimed at cost cutting and reducing the gaps between teams are for standard parts in various areas of the car - for example, braking systems and radiators, to name but two.

But some see this plan as counter-productive. They point out that standard parts will inevitably be heavier than those used at the moment because as one senior figure puts it: "The only way to make it cheaper is to make it less good."

The standard brake system being proposed for 2021, for example, is about 10kg heavier than those used by the top teams. Given the number of standard parts being proposed, it is not hard to see how weight could increase significantly as a result of F1's proposals in this area.

The old argument of cost vs performance. If it wasn't for the likelihood of teams finding creative ways of ignoring the proposed budget cap, I'd be all for letting them innovate as much as they want...but because you can't trust the teams to be honest, I think some standardisation is necessary.


New aerodynamics - also previously discussed. Simulations have shown that the new design regs would mean a reduced loss of downforce for following cars, from around 35% to 5-10%. Which should enable cars to follow each other more closely and for longer, without overheating, over-stressing the tyres etc.

But predictably some people found something to complain about. They feel the new regs are too proscriptive and don't leave much room to innovate.

However, as Ross Brawn pointed out - they are trying to steer the sport in a fairly radical new direction and the regs need to be proscriptive to start with, to establish a baseline, from which future changes can be made, if deemed necessary.

Using a different aerodynamic philosophy, the idea is to ensure that the wake is thrown higher so that a car behind experiences a cleaner airflow. Simulations suggest that from a downforce loss of 35% or more for the following car this year, it will be in the region of 5-10% with the new rules.

That is a significant improvement. But some teams have concerns. One is that the new regulations are very proscriptive and dramatically reduce the amount of design freedom teams have.

The idea is to reduce the disparity between the cars, and limit the gains bigger teams with more resources can make. But Binotto says: "The degree of freedom for aero is something on which we have always been very keen and insisting on the fact that it is important.

"In the objectives of 2021 is that aero has to remain a performance differentiator, and that is the objective we have got."

Funny how Ferrari always seem to be among the ones objecting to any changes.

Alrighty! An update on what we can expect the 2021 cars to look like. Work has progressed to the stage where they are testing a 50% scale model in a wind tunnel, to gather more aero data and confirm the theoretical performance gains. Video in the link below:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.first-look-formula-1s-2021-car-in-the-wind-tunnel.6ye3S7Pb8NRX1K7PjTBxtS.html

Great looking car IMO and if the data is correct, it should result in much better racing (maybe good enough to do away with DRS). Be interesting to see how much leeway the teams have with the basic design. As I mentioned before, they reckon they've nailed the rear aero, but still have some work to do on the front.

Looks like a second US race will be on the calendar from 2021 onwards.

Liberty have reached an agreement with the owners of the Miami Dolphins, to a race on land around the stadium. Of course, this is subject to the Dolphins' owners getting permission from the state / county authorities. Local businesses and residents have registered disapproval over the noise & disruption F1 races can cause, so its not done and dusted yet.

Organisers face a series of hurdles before the race takes place, including approval by Miami-Dade County.

There has been considerable local opposition to holding a grand prix in the city.

A previous attempt by F1, which featured a track in downtown Miami that went over a bridge to Miami Port and back, has already foundered following concerns about interruptions to business caused by the construction of the race track.

The new proposal is all on land owned by Stephen Rosso, the owner of American football franchise Miami Dolphins. As such, the event resembles the short-lived Ceasar's Palace Grand Prix that was held twice in a car park of the casino in Las Vegas in 1981 and '82.

In their statement, F1 commercial boss Sean Bratches and Tom Garfinkel, the chief executive of Hard Rock Stadium, emphasised the financial benefits to the city of the race.

"With an estimate annual impact of more than $400m and 35,000 room nights, the F1 Miami Grand Prix will be an economic juggernaut for South Florida each year," the statement said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/50066827

Alrighty! Some more in-depth details about the new regs:



To answer CaledonianCraig's query in the main season thread, regarding how scrutineers will check cars' compliance, it seems they're getting extremely hi-tech. Apparently they will have access to each team's design files and will also be able to scan the cars, to see if their profiles are within the parameters permitted by the regs.

Nothing more about the new regs yet, but in recent announcement it seems Saudi Arabia could host  races from 2023 onwards.

Plans for a motorsport complex at Qiddiyah are well advanced, including a Grade One track capable of hosting both F1 and Moto GP races. Lead designer and project consultant is none other than Alex Wurz...at least it won't be another Tilke-drome.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51137520

There have also been suggestions about a temporary track or street circuit being used, to enable races to be hosted before 2023, but this looks pretty unlikely for now.

This is a nice example of formula one expanding and further globalising (Vietnam has been added this year) and increasing its carbon footprint.  There is supposed to be "climate crisis" - many universities have declared such a thing.  Maybe it is time to ditch all international sporting events in Australia (& NZ) - which involves large numbers of people and equipment being flown over to the other side of the world.

No surprise about the Saudi Arabia news, seeing as it successfully hosted Formula E. Liberty Media will look to capitalise on expanding F1, and taking advantage of lucrative financial offers being thrown their way. It's a business for LM, and seeing as Tata Communications has confirmed it has officially ended its long time partnership with the sport, you can see why they need to replace lost income.

No name Bertie wrote:This is a nice example of formula one expanding and further globalising (Vietnam has been added this year) and increasing its carbon footprint.  There is supposed to be "climate crisis" - many universities have declared such a thing.  Maybe it is time to ditch all international sporting events in Australia (& NZ) - which involves large numbers of people and equipment being flown over to the other side of the world.

Indeed. I was a bit staggered by the emissions figures. I've always maintained it was the logistical side of F1 that was by far the worst offender (and why I complained about the use of hybrid engines) but didn't realise just how bad it was.

Stopping all international travel would help somewhat. But then you still have countries operating fossil fuel power stations, deforesting huge areas, industrial pollution, major construction projects etc.

Making it mandatory for all buses and HGVs to be powered by hydrogen fuel cells (and getting the refuelling infrastructure in place) would be a good start.

Also need to find eco-friendly alternatives to marine diesel and aviation fuel. There are already battery-powered ferries operating in some parts of Scandinavia.

Sounds like Mercedes won't be in the sport beyond this next season

Not convinced, but wouldn’t be surprised either. Daimler been looking to make cuts, and have seen their profits half in 2019. Pretty much extracted everything out of F1 during this hybrid-era, too. Rumours of a sell up, and Aston Martin taking over, doing the rounds. The Hamilton to Ferrari rumours in 2021 ramping up again, with this potential Mercedes exit news.

I wonder if there will be additional costs associated with Brexit.  As far as I can tell Britain is happy not to add import charges but the EU want to make an example of Britain to prevent other EU members thinking about leaving.  It is confusing because most F1 teams have their factories in Britain but then again most utilities in Britain are owned by companies in the EU.  So presumably there will be workarounds to any added bureaucracy.

Racing Point to be renamed Aston Martin in 2021

GSC wrote:Racing Point to be renamed Aston Martin in 2021

Beat me to the punch!

Just read that Lawrence Stroll has decided to buy a 20% stake in the company as part of a deal to help Aston overcome its current financial struggles.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51323241

Though it didn't say if the name change would be this season or next.

Tbh, I’m glad RP will be renamed in, 2021. Not surprised they’ve taken advantage of Aston Martin’s financial woes, in exchange for the ‘name’, and the commercial advantages it brings to the table. Once again, Stroll is seen as the face of the story, but in reality, the consortium includes JCB chairman Anthony Bamford, former Power Corp Canada boss Andrew Desmarais, and Hong Kong fashion investor, Star Chou.

AM will also end sponsorship of RB as a result

dyrewolfe wrote:

GSC wrote:Racing Point to be renamed Aston Martin in 2021

Beat me to the punch!

Just read that Lawrence Stroll has decided to buy a 20% stake in the company as part of a deal to help Aston overcome its current financial struggles.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51323241

Though it didn't say if the name change would be this season or next.

not sure if can change a name after entering the season, which I presume has already happened. FI weren't renamed, RP was considered a brand new team midseason

Renamed in, 2021. Tbh, be surprised if they don’t go poaching key technical staff now. Can re-name the team and have it in bright lights, but without the acquisition of top class engineering staff and drivers, then fourth is about as best as it will get.

Interesting to see Ineos becoming a major sponsor for Mercedes in a £20m per season deal. Seems everyone wants to possibly be a part of Mercedes/Hamilton equalling Schumacher’s WDC record, as ‘AMD’ have also signed, and jumped ship from, Ferrari.

Looks like the teams have finally agreed a new financial package for next season and beyond.

They voted to accept a plan to cap budgets at $145m (£114m) for next season. This will reduce to $140m in 2022 and $135m for the period of 2023 - 2025.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52723209

It still needs to be approved by the FIA, but the vote is expected to be a formality (which takes place next week).


Interestingly, part of the new regulations will see limits imposed on aerodynamic development for the most successful teams. Apparently it will operate on a sliding scale.

There will be a defined benchmark amount of permitted wind-tunnel time and computing data, and a sliding scale of allowance of that R&D depending on a team's finishing position in the previous championship.

In 2021, to allow for the fact that teams have to develop cars to the new rules in 2022, the team who finishes first this year will be allowed 90% of that quota, with a sliding scale at 2.5% increments so the team that finished last gets 112.5%.

From 2022 onwards, the world champions will be permitted 70% of the total allowance, with 5% increments until the team that finishes last is allowed 115%.

Any new teams would be given the same allowance as the team that finishes last.

I'd really like to know how they intend to police this, as teams have shown in the past they are able to invent ingenious ways of exploiting loopholes.

So despite a budget cap which will level out the playing field, the winners are now going to receive penalties into the following year. Why not just get them all into the same car - let's say robin reliants - and be done with it.

Well it is rather anti-competition in the engineering sense...which I have to say I don't like.

OTOH no-one can say the sport is in a healthy state, the way it is. F1 is probably the least competitive and most predictable motorsport, in terms of performances and results.

Its gone from a position where a couple of blokes in a shed could knock up a competitive car, to teams requiring hundreds of personnel and hundred of millions of pounds.

The technology and cost has really got out of hand, so we end up with the situation where only 3 teams out of 10 are truly competitive and the rest are just filling out the grid. Where several rookie teams have entered, only to fold, or be bought out a few years later.

If these measures result in a better on-track spectacle, it will bring more fans in...and the sponsors and TV money should follow (helping secure the sport's long-term future).

Again though, I am curious to see how effectively the FIA can police these regs, given teams have been pretty clever with their accounting in the past, as well as playing fast & loose with the development rules.

I think even getting back to ca 2010-12 when RB, Ferrari or McLaren could all legitimately challenge, and midfield teams like Lotus were close enough to profit when one of the 3 faltered (even when Vettel ran away with it 2011, the field spread wasnt as bad after him).

Now it's just Mercedes are strong everywhere apart from probably 2 or 3 tracks, and Ferrari and Red Bull intermittently having enough performance to challenge. Then the midfield are miles off.

I've been rewatching some of that era during lockdown and the overall quality of racing is far higher also (also better before DRS)

GSC wrote:
I've been rewatching some of that era during lockdown and the overall quality of racing is far higher also (also better before DRS)

Also better engine noise before the hybrid era.

I've been re-watching some races from the 94-98 period. God F1 was so much better back then (IMHO).