F1 2017 Season

[pauldyson1uk]

2017 CAR LAUNCH SCHEDULE

February 21: Renault, TBC
February 22: Force India VJM10, Silverstone
February 23: Mercedes W08, Silverstone
February 24: Ferrari, Fiorano

2017 WINTER TEST SCHEDULE

February 27-March 2: Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona
March 7-10: Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona



2017 CALENDAR

March 26: Melbourne, Australia

April 9: Shanghai, China

April 16: Bahrain, Bahrain

April 30: Sochi, Russia

May 14: Barcelona, Spain

May 28: Monte Carlo, Monaco

June 11: Montreal Canada

June 25: Baku, Azerbaijan

July 9: Spielberg, Austria

July 16: Silverstone, United Kingdom

July 23: Budapest, Hungary

August 27: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

September 3: Monza, Italy

September 17: Singapore, Singapore

October 1: Sepang, Malaysia

October 8: Suzuka, Japan

October 22: Austin, USA

November 5: Mexico City, Mexico

November 12: Sao Paolo, Brazil

November 26: Abu Dhabi, UAE

2017 DRIVER LINE-UPS

MERCEDES

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas
Engines: Mercedes

RED BULL


Danial Ricciado and Max Verstappen.

Reserve driver: Pierre Gasly
Engines: TAG Heuer-badged Renault

FERRARI

Sabastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen
Third driver: Antonio Giovinazzi
Engines: Ferrari

FORCE INDIA

Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon
Engines: Mercedes

WILLIAMS

Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll
Engines: Mercedes

MCLAREN



Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne
Reserve driver: Jenson Button
Engines: Honda

 

[pauldyson1uk]

2017 DRIVER LINE-UPS

TORO ROSSO

Daniil Kvyat annd Carlos Sainz
Reserve driver: Pierre Gasly
Engines: Renault

HAAS

Roman Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen
Engines: Ferrari

RENAULT

Nico Hulkenburg and Jolyon Palmer
Engines: Renault

SAUBER

Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Werhrlein
Engines: Ferrari (2016 spec)

MANOR

Will not be racing , team folded.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Some of the changes for 2017

Overall width

Wide F1 cars are coming back
For nearly two decades the maximum width for F1 cars has been set at 1,800mm. An extra 10cm each side of the car next year should make a striking visual difference. This plus the wider tyres will also increase the amount of drag generated by the cars, which is why an increase in the total fuel allowance for each race has been agreed – drivers will get 105kg, a 5kg rise.


The additional width has allowed the FIA to introduce a larger floor and tyres in a bid to make to the cars quicker, although it is unclear whether the target of five seconds faster per lap will be achieved. Particularly as the use of softer tyres at many tracks this year has already seen lap times fall.

Front wing

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. 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.

The neutral Y250 section at the centre of the wing will remain. 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 wing must be offset rearward by 200mm at the outboard section, resulting in a roughly 12.5 degree back-sweep. 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.

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. Instead the FIA have defined a 500mm radius within which these parts can lie.

Bargeboards

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. 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.


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. 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’. Capturing and managing airflow coming around the nose and lower front wishbone will be made much easier by these changes.

Sidepods

The sidepods will feature an angled leading edge, as mooted from the start of the new regulation discussions. These will be inclined at 15 degrees when viewed from above, which shouldn’t cost the teams too much performance – this is merely an aesthetic adjustment.

Despite the increase in width to both the car as a whole and the floor, the bodywork must not exceed 1400mm from the car centreline which is the same as 2016. This will create a streamlined look to the car that will contrast the wider stance which could look quite intriguing.

Rear wing

The rear wing has arguably received the most alterations for next season, although the area in which the wing profiles lie within will stay. Its overall height will drop 150mm, not quite down to pre-2009 levels but indeed a much sleeker appearance, and its width upped to nearly a metre across.


At the moment the leading edge of the wing starts in line with the rear wheel centre line (RWCL), whereas for 2017 this will be shifted nearly 20cm rearward with extra room made to install its mounting pylon.

The endplates are the area of focus here as they follow the angular theme from the front wing and sidepods. The bottom of endplates must begin higher up than before, slanting back from the RWCL point to a point 190mm behind at the maximum height of the wing. The trailing edge of the endplate follows the same trend too.

Diffuser

Despite early talk of a much taller diffuser with a large central section, the floor regulations for 2017 are a just slight tweaks to what the cars have now. This may be a little disappointing for some however there was a lot of consideration on the impact of a bigger diffuser and how that would affect overtaking.


The leading edge of the floor – the part that forms the beginning of the T-tray – has been moved back slightly (100mm) but the main change is that the diffuser can start 175mm forward of the RWCL. At present the diffuser begins to slope upwards in line with the RWCL, so the added length will provide more room for the airflow to expand from under the car and therefore more rear grip.

This has been coupled with an increase in both the height and width of the diffuser, which will be 50mm taller and 50mm wider than 2016. Along the flanks of the car the floor will branch 1600mm out from the centreline of the car too, further increasing the potential to produce even lower pressure to pull the car into the ground.

Tyres
The main source for slashing lap times will come from the wider Pirelli rubber next year. Currently the overall width of the tyres are 305-355mm at the front and 365-380mm rear, depending on the design of the wheels and how far that pushes the sidewall of the tyre outward.

For 2017 we will effectively see the rear tyres come to the front and a brand new set of rear tyres at 450-465mm. This will be another striking change.

The increased contact patch will drastically improve mechanical grip, bolstering low speed performance and allowing the driver to attack high speed corners with even more confidence.

 

[Dargonk]

This is the big shake up seasons isn't it. It will be interesting to see which teams come out at the top, but hopefully we get at least a couple of teams challenging for the championships compared to the last few seasons.

 

[F-Red]

Some of the teams you have as TBC are already confirmed or are from last year:

Williams - Bottas and Lance Stroll
Toro Rosso - Sainz and Kyvat
Renault - Hulkenberg and Palmer
Haas- Grosjean and Magnussen
Force India - Perez and Ocon

Only ones that are TBC are Manor and one seat at Sauber (Ericsson remains there)

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Some of the teams you have as TBC are already confirmed or are from last year:

Williams - Bottas and Lance Stroll
Toro Rosso - Sainz and Kyvat
Renault - Hulkenberg and Palmer
Haas- Grosjean and Magnussen
Force India - Perez and Ocon

Only ones that are TBC are Manor and one seat at Sauber (Ericsson remains there)

Cheers for that , going to fill the bones out over the weekend and add some pics.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

first look at a 2017 car , well the new wider boots.

 

[Xeno]

I don't get it. Two decades of slowing down the cars to make them safer, now trying to shave 5 seconds a lap off?

 

[F-Red]

The main reduction from lap time will come from improvements in corner speed, not in straight line speed. The 2017 cars will actually have more drag in the straights.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

I don't get it. Two decades of slowing down the cars to make them safer, now trying to shave 5 seconds a lap off?

Safety has improved massively in the past 2 decades, I think we can have the speed and safety.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Engine Regs for 2017

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has announced its official approval of new power unit regulations for next season. The changes are aimed at reducing costs and guaranteeing supply for customer teams, closing the performance gap between engines, and improving engine noise.
The agreement follows lengthy talks with the current four F1 power unit manufacturers – Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda – and will see the removal of the existing ‘token’ system for in-season engine development.


The FIA statement in full:

The FIA is pleased to announce that, following extensive work done in conjunction with the four Power Unit manufacturers involved in the FIA Formula One World Championship, and with the support of the Commercial Rights Holder, a global agreement on power units has been reached for the 2017-2020 period.

The agreement has been approved by all levels of the F1 governance structure, including the World Motor Sport Council, and will now be included as Technical and Sporting regulations for the 2017 and 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship.

The global agreement on power units covers four key areas relating to the cost and supply price, obligation to supply, performance convergence and the sound of the power units.

As part of the power unit agreement, adherence to the measures outlined below will see the FIA commit to supporting power unit regulations stability and the maintaining of the current Formula One governance structure for the 2017-2020 period.

COST

Agreement has been reached on a significant reduction in the price of power unit supply to customer teams and a reduction in cost to manufacturers over the coming years.

- In 2017 the power unit price for customer teams will be reduced by €1m per season compared to 2016.

- From 2018, the annual supply price will be reduced by a further €3m.

- Cost reduction on power units will be driven by changes to the Sporting and Technical regulations in 2017 and 2018, with a progressive reduction of the number of power unit elements per driver per season.

SUPPLY

Supply of power units to customer teams will be ensured, as the homologation procedure will include an “obligation to supply” that will be activated in the event of a team facing an absence of supply.



PERFORMANCE CONVERGENCE

The new agreement includes a package of measures aimed at achieving performance convergence.

- The token system is to be removed from 2017

- Additionally, constraints on power unit part weights, dimensions and materials, and on boost pressure will be introduced in 2017 and in 2018.



SOUND

Manufacturers are currently conducting a promising research programme into further improving the sound of the current power units, with the aim of implementation by 2018 at the latest.

 

[Flames73]

Germany off, Canada confirmed. Brazil still provisional.

 

[RedFish]

Interlagos has to remain on the calendar, it's produced such epic drama over the years.

 

[RedFish]

Really looking forward to see what Vandoorne can do. Remember him producing some incredible drives in GP2. He really should have secured his seat in F1 way before now. I miss the Mclaren challenging for the championships. Imagine Alonso v Vandoorne in a competitive car vs the RB's, Vettel and the Mercs. Here's hoping.

So many other subplots - Will Hulkenberg's move to a factory team (Renault) pay off? Can Palmer justify retaining his seat, can Perez continue to outdrive the Force India yet again and if he does, will he get another big move?

Can't wait for the first tests in Barcelona Feb 27.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

Never like to see a calendar without a German Grand Prix.

 

[RedFish]

Never like to see a calendar without a German Grand Prix.

Absolutely right. Personally I prefer Hockenheim for the straights, and overtaking. The old H'heim was even better. The N'ring has more interchangeable conditiions, and some eye catching elevation changes, but it's so difficult to overtake there. Ultimately I'd be happy with either - just get one of them back on the calendar!

 

[pauldyson1uk]

2017 Formula 1 calendar: The stories behind the schedule and dates



The British GP's inclusion in the heart of summer usually means a clash with a major sporting event, and 2017 is no different. The race is again scheduled to take place on the same day of the Wimbledon men's final.

But perhaps next season's Silverstone spectacular won't be quite as rivalled as last year's, when UFC 200, a Tour de France stage, Andy Murray's SW19 triumph over Novak Djokovic and the Euro 2016 final all clashed with the British GP.
Germany drops off again
Germany has its third F1 world champion in the last 20 years but Nico Rosberg's title defence will not include a home race after the German GP fell off the schedule for the second time in three years.
The chances of Hockenheim filling the void left by the Nurburgring and staging the event in consecutive years for the first time in a decade had always appeared remote when this year's race pulled in a paltry crowd of 57,000. It was slightly up on 2014's numbers but when you consider 2015 was the first time in 40 years Germany hadn't featured on the calendar, and Hockenheim's break-even figure was 60,000, the writing was on the wall.

The race will be back in 2018 for the final year of Hockenheim's contract but unless Germany collectively rediscovers its enthusiasm for attending F1 races, or one of the country's two famous but tired venues suddenly stumbles across a treasure-chest of funds and marketing ingenuity, the country looks set to get used to holding a biennial grand prix at best.

Back to 20 races

Twenty-five race calendars may be F1's eventual future under its proposed new American owners, but for 2017 the record 21-race schedule of this year is cut by one to a round 20.

That was the previous record for the length of a season set back in 2012 and in both historical and, most importantly, travel terms it remains a significant number for the F1 travelling circus to contend with.
That's still plenty of planes, hotels and time spent arranging a suitcase but those on the coalface it is probably a welcome small, if temporary, respite for 2017.

One more week to wait

F1's longest-ever season is followed by one of its longest off-seasons with the Australian GP not kicking off the 2017 campaign until March 26. That's three months exactly without any competitive F1 action between Abu Dhabi 2016 and Melbourne 2017.

Next year's season-opener is one weekend later than 2016 and the latest start to any season since 2011, when Bahrain was cancelled. Going further back and it's the third-latest start in the last 23 years.

With winter testing not beginning until the final week of February, any complaints from teams they have not had enough time to prepare for 2017's rules reset may well fall on deaf ears.

Four is the magic number

While the German GP's exit has seen July's schedule eased slightly, we will once again have four races in a calendar month in 2017. And what a quartet of Grands Prix they could be.

Just like last year, a bumper October sees Formula 1 travel to Malaysia, Japan, US and Mexico - and we will hopefully have another title battle being won and lost in this period.

Without October and his Sepang engine blowout, remember, and Lewis Hamilton would be 2016's world champion.
A logistical nightmare
The 5,500-mile back-to-back between Montreal and Baku may now be a thing of the past, but could the Austria to Great Britain trip present an even greater challenge?

It may not sound like it on the face of it as many teams and drivers would be heading back to the UK after a European race anyway - but because freight will be transferred on the road rather than by air, this back-to-back is a logistical nightmare.

The 974-mile journey from Spielberg to Silverstone will see motorhomes transported on HGV trucks across the channel, and any delays could be disastrous for a team's preparations. New drivers are also occasionally hired for the trip, while an in-season test could also follow the British GP. A tiring week awaits.

Hungary back in its pre-summer home

The gorgeous city of Budapest had long been a fitting gateway to F1's August summer break, so plenty mourned the decision to place the 2016 event a week before Germany, a schedule which was provisionally set to be repeated next year too.
But the demise of Germany means the Hungaroring moves back to July 30 and is once more the venue for F1's final pre-summer shindigs.

A new (old) name for Azerbaijan

We could see what they were attempting, but selling the tourism merits of Baku to the wider world will surely be better achieved by naming the race after the country in which it resides. Especially when the title for the street track's inaugural year - the European GP - opened up a whole can of complex geographical worms.

The Azerbaijan GP for Azerbaijan. Makes sense, right?

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Long-time McLaren partner ExxonMobil have joined Red Bull to be the former world champions' fuel and oil supplier.

In an expected tie-up, Red Bull will use the American firm's race fuels and lubricants from the 2017 season with the oil giant's Mobil 1 and Esso brands to appear on the team's RB13 car and drivers' overalls.

Fuel performance has become an increasingly important battle ground for teams in the hybrid engine era.


"Mobil 1 and Red Bull Racing are two global brands that share a passion for racing, performance and innovation," said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

"Mobil 1 has been an iconic brand in Formula 1 for more than 30 years and our new partnership provides us with a unique opportunity to tap into ExxonMobil's world class expertise."


McLaren had been powered by ExxonMobil fuels since 1995, while Red Bull have used Total products.

ExxonMobil follow Tag Heuer in leaving Red Bull for McLaren in the last 12 months, the watchmaker having recently extended its naming rights deal for the team's Renault engine by a further two years.

McLaren will reportedly seal a deal with BP Castrol to become their new fuel supplier for 2017.

 

[matherto]

I can't wait for the car unveils but I can't help but feel like they've gone the wrong way with the rules.

The cars definitely needed to be wider but I have an awful feeling these'll be hard to follow like the cars from the early to mid 2000s were and overtaking will literally be in DRS zones and Max Verstappen.

 

[spwd]

I can't wait for the car unveils but I can't help but feel like they've gone the wrong way with the rules.

The cars definitely needed to be wider but I have an awful feeling these'll be hard to follow like the cars from the early to mid 2000s were and overtaking will literally be in DRS zones and Max Verstappen.

The cars being wider will cause no end of traffic jams on tight circuits like Monaco and yes they're going to be faster in the corners so when and where will they be able to overtake, stupid decision if you ask me.

 

[matherto]

The cars being wider will cause no end of traffic jams on tight circuits like Monaco and yes they're going to be faster in the corners so when and where will they be able to overtake, stupid decision if you ask me.

I think Monaco is always going to be a traffic jam in any case. Remember 1991, Senna and Mansell are two of the greatest overtakers in the history of the sport but nothing changed the order in 30 odd laps despite Senna having worse tyres. It's purely on the schedule because it's Monaco but that's fine by me.

They needed to either get wider or become shorter because they've been way too long for years now. The 90's cars looked so right proportionally but maybe I'm biased because I grew up as a kid watching them.

But yeah it is a worry. Hopefully we'll have a year of max attack from Verstappen to liven it up (I'll grab my coat).

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Really looking forward to the new cars, faster in the corners will be interesting.
Monaco will be fun and Baku both hard to over take on and some really tight corners.
Max is going to be a good watch, I think he could be up there challenging for the title.

 

[senorgregster]

No chances of silly season changes this year?

 

[F-Red]

The issue which the FIA need to address is mechanical grip, not aerodynamic grip.

 

[matherto]

The issue which the FIA need to address is mechanical grip, not aerodynamic grip.

I think it's the FIA and the teams that have led these new changes whereas the drivers wanted the mechanical grip sorting but I could be wrong.

 

[Dan]

Nico Rosberg has retired!

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38185846

 

[pauldyson1uk]

I was just about to post that , is it for real !!

 

[Snowjoe]

Where on earth did that come from!

 

[Dan]

Statement here

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Skills]

Wonder where Mercedes will go now, if Lewis goes now too if they've completely broken down their relationship with him

 

[pauldyson1uk]

WOW that has left me in total shock.
Going to throw something out here.
Maybe Mercedes knew that if he won he would retire and Lewis was told this when he said he would quit after the Spanish GP.
Maybe he was told that at the end of the season if Nico wins, he would be gone and have nothing in his way next season(2017)
So just maybe they put more in to Nico this season to keep Lewis for more seasons.
Shoot me down if you like , I dont mind , just a theory rolling round my head.

 

[gormless]

What the feck. Hope to god they throw a truck of money at Mclaren to get Alonso

 

[F-Red]

Pascal Wehrlein for the second Mercedes seat

 

[altodevil]

Fair play to Rosberg. Ability aside, the guy is a class act and winning clearly meant everything to him. All the best in the future.

 

[Brophs]

That's the price people will pay to not have to spend time around Lewis Hamilton.

Cheap at twice that, I suspect.

 

[Smores]

Fair play to Rosberg. Ability aside, the guy is a class act and winning clearly meant everything to him. All the best in the future.

Fair play for what exactly leaving his team in a difficult situation ? He'll be back in a season or two.

His behaviour this season means for me i wont consider him a class act but he's no Vettel. Did like him before this season.

 

[altodevil]

Fair play for what exactly leaving his team in a difficult situation ? He'll be back in a season or two.

His behaviour this season means for me i wont consider him a class act but he's no Vettel. Did like him before this season.

Give over. Difficult situation? Any driver would snap at a chance to fill his space. Mercedes are fine.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Awesome!

 

[Smores]

Give over. Difficult situation? Any driver would snap at a chance to fill his space. Mercedes are fine.

Its hardly ideal for them, especially given the relationship with Hamilton.

To be fair i thought he was a few years younger. At 31 it makes more sense, no point doing a Button

 

[pauldyson1uk]

French Race is back.

The French Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 calendar after an absence of 10 years, the sport's boss Bernie Ecclestone has said.

French media reported that a five-year deal had been agreed to host the race at Le Castellet, near Marseille.

Ecclestone told Reuters: "Yes, I think it will happen," adding that it would be held in late July, not a month later as the initial reports had suggested.

France hosted the first ever grand prix in 1906 but lost its slot in 2008.

There have been several attempts since to revive the race but this one looks to be the first to succeed.

A news conference has been organised for an announcement about the future of the French Grand Prix in Paris on Monday, to be hosted by Christian Estrosi, the president of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur.

The French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported that a five-year deal had been agreed with the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region in association with the city of Toulon, department of Var and the French motorsport association.

Le Castellet - also known as the Circuit Paul Ricard - last hosted the French Grand Prix in 1990. From 1991-2008 it was held at Magny-Cours in central France.

Ecclestone's family trust owns the track but the 86-year-old said: "It's nothing to do with them at all. I think they are renting it to the people that are going to be the promoters."

He said the race would be held on "more or less sort of the German date probably", without specifying what that meant for the future of the German Grand Prix.

That race has dropped off the calendar for next year because the Nurburgring, one of two venues that alternate as hosts, cannot meet its financial obligations under its contract with F1.

But Hockenheim, which held the race in 2016, has a contract to do so again in 2018.

The return of France will be greeted with widespread delight by both F1 insiders and fans of the sport.

This is because of its historic significance and because it is another race in the sport's heartland of Europe rather than, as has been the recent trend for new events, in a country where the sport has limited support and no heritage.

F1 is in the process of being bought by US group Liberty Media, and it has said that protecting races in F1's heartland is a major priority, along with expanding its presence in the US, the rest of the Americas and Asia.