Rule Changes In F1

Lots of rule changes coming to Formula 1 next year and through to 2013. I'm glad they dropped the "no team orders" rule. Teams orders have been an integral part of motor sport since before Formula 1 began. It was just senseless to pretend that it wasn't. However, it's good that the rule about maintaining the integrity of the sport were retained, to ensure some balance against the abuse of team orders, which we've seen in recent years.

The movable wings to be introduced next year, sound kind of complicated to me. The problem the rule makers are trying to avoid, is that the movable wing must not make the passing too easy and eliminate the driver's skill. Of course, this is all new territory for everyone so whether it will actually work on track remains to seen.

The turbocharged four cylinder returns in 2013, but it won't have the monstrous 1000+ horse power it had back in the 1980s. That wouldn't be very "green" now would it? Still 750hp is pretty respectable output for a tiny 1.6l engine even with a red line of "only" 12000rpm. The shorter and lighter four bangers should improve the cars balance as well, assuming they have the same weight and dimensions as current cars.

It's good to see the governing body and the teams working together on the rules for a change, but I bet they didn't ask for input from the drivers... Drivers? Wait, there are drivers in F1? Really? ^_^