Automotive

The 2014 F1 season is all about hybrid diets and personalized nose jobs

The 2014 F1 season is all about hybrid diets and personalized nose jobs
The front wings on the Ferrari F14-T had to come in 75 mm each side to meet new requirements
The front wings on the Ferrari F14-T had to come in 75 mm each side to meet new requirements
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Ferrari's F14-T took two years of intensive research and engineering to design and meet F1's new regulations
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Ferrari's F14-T took two years of intensive research and engineering to design and meet F1's new regulations
The front wings on the Ferrari F14-T had to come in 75 mm each side to meet new requirements
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The front wings on the Ferrari F14-T had to come in 75 mm each side to meet new requirements
All teams are limited to a 1.6 liter twin turbo V6 that develops 600 hp, but gain an additional 160 hp through the new hybrid Energy Recovery System
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All teams are limited to a 1.6 liter twin turbo V6 that develops 600 hp, but gain an additional 160 hp through the new hybrid Energy Recovery System
The new turbocharger systems can spin at up to 125,000 rpm whereas the new V6 engines will be limited to 15,000 rpm
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The new turbocharger systems can spin at up to 125,000 rpm whereas the new V6 engines will be limited to 15,000 rpm
All F1 cars will have the rear wing's Drag Reduction System adjusted, the rear wing shallowed out and the beam wing removed
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All F1 cars will have the rear wing's Drag Reduction System adjusted, the rear wing shallowed out and the beam wing removed
For McLaren's MP4-29 the design team went with the probiscus monkey nose aesthetic
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For McLaren's MP4-29 the design team went with the probiscus monkey nose aesthetic
McLaren's MP4-29 will be powered by a new 1.6 liter twin-turbocharged Mercedes engine with advanced energy recovery systems
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McLaren's MP4-29 will be powered by a new 1.6 liter twin-turbocharged Mercedes engine with advanced energy recovery systems
The chassis around the driver’s legs and feet is significantly lower due to a regulated drop in maximum height at the front bulkhead
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The chassis around the driver’s legs and feet is significantly lower due to a regulated drop in maximum height at the front bulkhead
For 2014, four two-day, post-race tests have been arranged in Bahrain (April 8-9), Spain (May 13-14), Great Britain (July 8-9) and Abu Dhabi (November 25-26) for teams to test their cars
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For 2014, four two-day, post-race tests have been arranged in Bahrain (April 8-9), Spain (May 13-14), Great Britain (July 8-9) and Abu Dhabi (November 25-26) for teams to test their cars
McLaren's nosey MP4-29 will be piloted by Jensen Button and Kevin Magnussen for the 2014 season
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McLaren's nosey MP4-29 will be piloted by Jensen Button and Kevin Magnussen for the 2014 season
Chassis nose-height on the MP4-29 is lowered even further to increase driver safety
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Chassis nose-height on the MP4-29 is lowered even further to increase driver safety
So exhaust gases can't affect aerodynamics, new regulations state the car's exhaust must exit upwards on the car’s centerline, near the rear light, with no bodywork behind the tailpipe
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So exhaust gases can't affect aerodynamics, new regulations state the car's exhaust must exit upwards on the car’s centerline, near the rear light, with no bodywork behind the tailpipe
The Renault-powered Lotus E22 features a unique asymmetric split-nose design with unequal length prongs - the longer is the primary crash element while the shorter is an aerodynamic device
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The Renault-powered Lotus E22 features a unique asymmetric split-nose design with unequal length prongs - the longer is the primary crash element while the shorter is an aerodynamic device
Lotus, like the other teams, is limited to a 1.6 liter twin turbo V6 that develops 600 hp but gain an additional 160 hp through the new hybrid Energy Recovery System
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Lotus, like the other teams, is limited to a 1.6 liter twin turbo V6 that develops 600 hp but gain an additional 160 hp through the new hybrid Energy Recovery System
Williams Mercedes-powered FW36 has gone with a simple nose treatment compared to others, but will feature the team's first 8-speed gearbox
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Williams Mercedes-powered FW36 has gone with a simple nose treatment compared to others, but will feature the team's first 8-speed gearbox
New rules state the exhaust must exit upwards on the car’s centerline, close to the rear light, with no bodywork behind the tailpipe - so nothing can aerodynamically influence exhaust gases
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New rules state the exhaust must exit upwards on the car’s centerline, close to the rear light, with no bodywork behind the tailpipe - so nothing can aerodynamically influence exhaust gases
Cars like Force India's VJM07 are now required to use a single exhaust pipe, aimed upwards, that essentially removes exhaust blowing downforce from the equation
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Cars like Force India's VJM07 are now required to use a single exhaust pipe, aimed upwards, that essentially removes exhaust blowing downforce from the equation
The Ferrari-powered Sauber C33 has gone with a more traditional nose treatment than some of the other teams
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The Ferrari-powered Sauber C33 has gone with a more traditional nose treatment than some of the other teams
A roll-out version of the Sauber C33 will begin testing at Jerez in Spain this week
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A roll-out version of the Sauber C33 will begin testing at Jerez in Spain this week
The STR 9 is the first Scuderia Toro Rosso car to be powered by Renault
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The STR 9 is the first Scuderia Toro Rosso car to be powered by Renault
The SRT9's nose is very probiscus monkey-like, but the front wing treatment is quite different in execution compared to the other teams
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The SRT9's nose is very probiscus monkey-like, but the front wing treatment is quite different in execution compared to the other teams
The STR9, revealed today at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in southern Spain, was two years in the making
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The STR9, revealed today at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in southern Spain, was two years in the making
According to Mercedes, the F1 WO5 is the most complex Formula One car ever produced by the team
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According to Mercedes, the F1 WO5 is the most complex Formula One car ever produced by the team
The F1 WO5 is the first all-new Silver Arrow to hit the race track since 1954
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The F1 WO5 is the first all-new Silver Arrow to hit the race track since 1954
The F1 WO5 will use a PU106A hybrid powertrain to make its way about the track this year, producing 600 hp via the gas engine and 160 hp via the kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
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The F1 WO5 will use a PU106A hybrid powertrain to make its way about the track this year, producing 600 hp via the gas engine and 160 hp via the kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
View gallery - 25 images

Formula 1 teams have been redesigning and re-engineering their race cars in order to meet the first major regulation changes since 2009. New aerodynamic rules, odd noses, clipped wings and a completely new hybrid powertrain are part of the mix waiting for teams in the 2014 F1 season.

As Gizmag reported last week, Formula 1 is going through a significant powertrain evolution. With the introduction of mandatory new hybrid technology in the form of both kinetic and thermal Energy Recovery Systems, as well as smaller, twin-turbocharged engines, teams like Ferrari, Lotus, Scuderia Toro Rosso, McLaren, Sauber, Mercedes and Williams were literally having to start from scratch. Well actually, most teams have been working on the revised racers for the last two years or so.

So exhaust gases can't affect aerodynamics, new regulations state the car's exhaust must exit upwards on the car’s centerline, near the rear light, with no bodywork behind the tailpipe
So exhaust gases can't affect aerodynamics, new regulations state the car's exhaust must exit upwards on the car’s centerline, near the rear light, with no bodywork behind the tailpipe

Ferrari’s new F14-T, for instance, will carry the same 1.6 liter, turbocharged V6 as the rest of the pack, but where things get interesting is in how each team treats new nose design and other restrictions in their race-ready products. Ferrari’s F14-T, the Italian’s 60th car to participate in Formula 1, features some rather unique aesthetic treatments. The trunk-like design of the nose, for example, is a direct result of F1’s newest regulations requiring teams to lower both the chassis and the car’s nose in the interest of driver safety. In the event of a t-bone collision, the new design is intended to hit below the waistline and be less likely to impale the other driver.

Ferrari’s nasal treatment offers up the Italian’s own personal interpretation of how to deal with revised height regulations, but as witnessed in the gallery, the design language of the various teams ranges from elephant to phallic, and forklift to proboscis monkey.

For McLaren's MP4-29 the design team went with the probiscus monkey nose aesthetic
For McLaren's MP4-29 the design team went with the probiscus monkey nose aesthetic

Ferrari has had to redesign its car’s front suspension so it would fit into the leaner and lower monocoque. The all-important front and aft wings also took a regulation scolding. Front wings on all cars must now be 75 mm (3 in) narrower per side, translating into a forward wing surface that is 150 mm (6 in) skinnier than its predecessor. According to Ferrari, the problem with narrowing out the wings is that endplates, traditionally in place to improve downforce over the wheels, were now less effective. The changes meant Ferrari, like the other teams, had to completely redesign the wings for the 2014 season.

The big wing out back also received a significant makeover. Thanks to three regulatory changes, teams had to incorporate a revised Drag Reduction System (DRS), a rear wing with less depth and the removal of the beam wing.

According to Ferrari, the majority of changes to the 2014 car actually occurred under the skin. With the smaller V6 engine, components like the engine and water radiators shrunk down proportionally, but when items like the intercooler, turbocharger systems and various ERS elements were added, the issue of cooling became a concern. This concern is still being voiced by team managers as a primary issue to watch during the season.

All F1 cars will have the rear wing's Drag Reduction System adjusted, the rear wing shallowed out and the beam wing removed
All F1 cars will have the rear wing's Drag Reduction System adjusted, the rear wing shallowed out and the beam wing removed

Braking systems, as a result of added forces generated by the ERS, also needed to be redesigned for the F14-T. Smaller calipers on the back were developed to compensate for increased braking while a new "Brake-by-Wire" system was implemented to help drivers deal with changing brake dynamics during the race.

For Ferrari and the other teams, dealing with heat while fitting key engine components into tighter spaces, and meeting leaner spatial regulations, required some deft engineering and adaptation from all corners. The common concern of many teams is not how to deal with the new hybrid configuration, but how can they keep the untested systems running at optimal levels during an actual race. Expect some interesting results the first half of the year as teams get used to the new systems, and for major modifications to come on line in the second half of the season.

Check the gallery for the all the latest 2014 Formula 1 entries.

Sources: Ferrari, Lotus, Scuderia Toro Rosso, McLaren, Sauber, Mercedes

View gallery - 25 images
4 comments
4 comments
KIWI-IN-LONDON
What happens in a head-on with the tire barrier?
turbolove
The reveals have pretty much happened up and down the pit lane for almost all the teams. I personally like the ferrari, mclaren and force India liveries. As for the new nose designs- if you read a statement from designer Adrian Newey recently he is actually concerned about front to rear accidents...either way, I can't wait for the season to start!
Mirmillion
Love it when Eccelstone and company move the bar; causing the constructors to hurriedly re-engineer, test and tweak. Too bad they have systematically eliminated odd but technically legal interpretations. We may have had more innovation rather than homogenization.