The 2007 Technical Preview

The technical regulations have changed in only a few areas for this season and while some of these have far reaching effects back at the factories, little will have obviously changed from visual point of view when first practice starts in Melbourne next week.

In terms of the racing, the apple cart has been upset so the relative competitiveness amongst the teams should be equalised. The rule changes are covered more fully in Adam Cooper's article, but the main changes affecting the cars' design are limited to the single tyre supply, engine freeze and safety changes.

Tyres

The single tyre supply has allowed Bridgestone to create a new generation of tyres. These are partly related to last year's tyres but also taking in the lessons learned from the no tyre change rule back in 2005. The character of the tyres has, therefore, been altered and not only do they now have less grip, their balance of grip front to rear has shifted forwards.

Bridgestone's data, provided to all the teams, was proven in early testing as the rear tyres appeared to suffer excessive wear while getting heat into the fronts was much harder. This has forced all the teams into taking the load off the rear tyres, by pushing weight forwards.

Surprisingly most teams claimed this weight shift could be accommodated solely with a shift in ballast locations, but equally many teams have opted to alter their car's layout to increase flexibility in weight distribution. Additionally the longer life tyres will reward longer stints in the race and fuel tanks sizes have increased slightly, yet another factor to be considered when designing the car's layout.

As the regulations require teams to run both hard and soft compounds of tyre during each race, the set up and the race strategy will need to be compromised to accommodate the different performance of each tyre. This could stagger the pace between the different teams as each car will suit one tyre over another. Fortunately we will be able to visually tell which compound is on the car at any one time.

Safety

There has been an all-round revision to the impact tests that are applied to the cars for this season and the two that have significantly affected the design of the cars are the rear impact structure and the anti intrusion panels bonded to the sides of the cockpit.

The latter change has taken up some space inside the sidepod but has not been a big issue for the designers, while the rear impact structure now has to meet specific height and cross section dimensions as well as meet the actual crash tests.

A by-product of this change is that the structure that ends with the tail lamp now sits in the middle of the diffuser. This robs the diffuser of some potential to create downforce, although the move to a more forward weight - and hence downforce - bias has eased the issue slightly. Several teams have now explored the dimensional regulations of the diffuser to the very limit, creating extra space wherever the regulations allow.

Aero

Although no actual aerodynamic changes have been announced for this year, one small detail is the addition of slot gap spacers to the rear wing. After the flexible wing controversy that plagued the early part of the 2006 season teams have been forced to run a support to maintain the slot gap. This year the profile of both elements of the rear wing must be maintained using a template.

Initially the FIA rules were vague and may teams have developed new rear wings with a pair of spacers. These were at first mistaken for the yaw reducing fences run by BAR a few years back, but the FIA later clarified the rule with the enforcement of a single spacer in the middle of the rear wing.

Of the teams that ran initially with a pair of spacers, few have yet tested the single set up. This will have to debut at Melbourne, but the change is unlikely to have any impact on aerodynamic performance.

Engine freeze

The FIA's long drawn out process to limit engine development has now been completed. This plan started by freezing the basic design of the engines to that used back at the 2006 Monaco GP, a subsequent engine taken after the Chinese race decided the interim specification that can now only be changed to accommodate the tuning to the 19,000rpm rev limit.

The impact to the engines has been to limit power to somewhere near that used in 2006, and in the process the engines has become slightly less stressed. When allied to the two-day weekend format changes, the engine will now be run much harder through out the weekend and in the race most teams will not need to turn down the engine to maintain reliability. Any reduced rev or fuel mix maps run in the race will only be for strategic fuel efficiency reasons.

During the season no changes can be made to the engine's design, and this regulation covers the same major parts within the engine that are covered by the two race engine rules. Thus internal parts are included, but external items such as air box, exhausts and pumps are excluded. This and the rev limit gives the designers little scope to boost peak power outputs during the year.

Team By Team

The engineers and designers have been busy working back at base over the winter to finalise development processes that began way back during the 2006 season. Now, the proof of their efforts is just days away. So, what has everyone been working on for 2007?

Renault

Despite having won both championships in 2006, Renault admitted the Ferrari was the faster car in 2006 - so it was surprising that the R27 was such an evolutionary car.

Its basic design, both in its layout and V Keel front-end, borrows heavily from its predecessor, but obvious details such as the cleverly integrated pod wings, mirrors and flip-ups show new thinking does exist on the car.

In the tests leading up to Heikki Kovalainen's big crash the car sported new wings and a definitive crash structure. Again, these leaned on the concepts used on the R26.

The team admitted at its launch that they want more front-end downforce, so the car has run with the full width biplane element over the front wing, aided by two large fins fitted ahead of the cockpit. The nose has been altered with a much deeper fatter nosecone.

At the rear, the lower rear crash structure sits within a revised diffuser that again uses an aggressive central tunnel. This is flanked above by the rear wing with longer slots moulded into the endplate that now actually wrap around to the rear of the flap, while the rear wheels have often used a fairing as used by Ferrari last year.

On pace, and from the drivers comments, the car is fast but lacking some of the poise and grip from last year. This seems still to be a function of the car's ability to generate downforce and while revisions for the opening races should redress some of the problems, compared to their nearest rivals they are now on the back foot.

Ferrari

Although the new generation Bridgestone tyres are claimed to be different to those raced before, Ferrari are still believed to have an advantage in their knowledge of working with the Japanese supplier. This view was vindicated when the new car was launched with several changes to both the 2006 car and in comparison to other 2007 cars.

This apparently risky strategy has been taken either due to foolhardiness or a strong belief on how the tyres and rules will work this year. The new car sports a Zero Keel front-end and longer wheelbase while the new front suspension is for the benefit of aerodynamics but has a huge impact on how the car uses its front tyres.

The longer wheelbase could improve both aerodynamics and weight distribution, but is an approach that has left the other F1 designers wondering what Ferrari might know that they don't. One added benefit might be that it has enabled Ferrari to create an even larger fuel tank.

Ferrari's unusual decision to test alongside their rivals has proven the car to be fast even before the definitive front and rear wings were been tried. Some engine problems were found, but they were related to the electronics being overheated. The new front wing appears similar to the outgoing design, aside from the curved biplane element mounting higher to the nose.

McLaren

Having endured seasons where the car was down on pace, unreliable and poorly matched to its tyres, McLaren seem to have reversed their form in winter testing. The new MP4-22 was launched with many envious glances from other F1 designers.

The car takes a lot of thinking from previous McLaren machines, but the detail of the car has been worked through to an even greater degree than the team's usual lofty standards.

Since its launch the initially troublesome centre-mounted three-element front wing has returned, while the car has grown new winglets in front of the cockpit and pod wings for the first time.

McLaren's sidepod shoulders are unlike any other team's interpretation of the pod wing and chimney layout. The chimneys lead forwards to form a fence, this is then joined to the pod wings to form a very complex set up. In the last few days of testing in Bahrain the pod wings grew mirrors, these were run in tandem with the usual mirrors, and the unusual site of a car with four mirrors would suggest that one pair will be deleted before Melbourne.

At the rear of the car the diffuser sports an extra channel formed over the lower side channels. This appears to meet the letter of the maximum diffuser height regulation (measured from below) but has drawn some criticism from other teams.

The car's reliability in testing has been good and that means the team has accrued mileage in testing, making them well prepared for the season opener. With the car's pace and advanced design, McLaren appear to be ready for a challenge to the championship.

Honda

After a poor start to the 2006 season, Honda sorted out their aerodynamics and were able to end the season on a high. But they made a dramatic change for 2007 and launched their new spec car with some very different aero philosophies, leading to questions over whether they had taken a risk.

Winter testing has shown the car to be off the pace and there is little joy to gain from the team's testing development. Although the complex sidepod winglet set up has been removed for large periods in testing, there have been no major changes to the car during that time. Already promises are coming from the Honda management that the car will receive major upgrades over the first three races.

With the team's new wind tunnel to add to their old set up the team could have been expected to make a step in the aerodynamics, but it appears that the two tunnels' results are not correlating to each other, leading to problems. Recently the team's customer CFD division, Advantage-CFD, has closed its door doors to external customers and now works solely on in house projects.

BMW Sauber

While Honda has slipped from their successes of 2006, BMW have continued apace and multiplied theirs and their first all-BMW design has proven to be fast in testing despite some reliabilities worries.

The car uses a mix of new developments added to the solid baseline of the F106 car, with a much higher raised monocoque and a host of CFD-developed aero touches. Innovations such as the split front wing giving three elements where its needs it (in the middle) and two where the wing is less aggressive set the car apart from the rest of the midfield.

How the team will develop during the year will be critical in their maturing - how well the car works at all circuits and how much more speed they can develop from the car over the season have been weak points in the team in previous years.

Toyota

As Toyota were the first team to unveil their 2007 car, it was hard to gauge how far they had progressed over the winter compared to their rivals. By the time the other cars had been launched and testing was underway, it was clear that the Toyota was not going to see the step they needed to move on from their late 2006 form.

Like last year, the car's design appears conservative, this suggests lasts year pace was partly attributable to their use of Bridgestone tyres.

Development to the car has been visible, the new front wing expected since the cars launch is a logical progression for the curved biplane design. Instead of the Renault-like versions where the extra flap is joined to the nosecone, the Toyota version blends into a beak like leading edge to the wing. This creates a wing with more area and its greater chord length in the middle the wing has not replaced the other fins added to the nose since the car's launch.

Red Bull Racing

Red Bull's new car is the latest in a line going back to the Stewart F1 days and has been Adrian Newey's sole focus since he joined the team in 2006. But despite such a strong lineage, the car has been a clean sheet design with little reference to other design data.

This means the team has had to learn the car and understand how to evolve its design. As a result the RB3 has some simple aero treatments, yet already the car is growing new parts. It has been this learning process that has seen the car get off to a slow start in comparison to the media's high expectations.

In testing, the car has initially struggled with pace and reliability, visual changes have been a Ferrari-like rear wing endplate featuring slots both above the main wing and lower down above the beam wing. New wings and bargeboards have been tested in advance of Melbourne, but the car shouldn't be expected to flourish until it returns from the flyaway races and new development can be tested in back in Europe.

Williams

After a 2006 blighted by poor aerodynamics and poor reliability, Williams have tackled 2007 aggressively. The new FW29 sports heavily revised aerodynamics, a second generation seamless gearbox and now a Toyota engine.

On paper the car has all the right ingredients and for the limited tests in which Williams have joined the major teams it has shown pace to back the promise up. Additionally, the reliability has been good and with new wings front and rear to upgrade the car before Melbourne, Williams can be expected to join the front of the midfield in 2007.

Toro Rosso

Having remanufactured the Jaguar (Red Bull) car to race in 2006, Toro Rosso did not surprise when they unveiled a 'copy' of the RedBull RB3 last month. This customer car approach is not popular under the current rules, but as the car's design is by Red Bull Technology (an 'independent' company led by Adrian Newey) and not the race team this is technically legal.

Despite the cars sharing the same design, the chassis needs to accommodate a Ferrari engine and the team still has to manufacture the parts. Hence when the car was unveiled several parts were late and either not fitted or in unpainted carbon fibre. With the different release schedules of the two cars, it would be logical to assume the two cars will develop at differing rates during the year too.

Spyker

With new owners and with Mike Gascoyne once more running the technical department, Spyker (nee Midland) now have some direction and funding. However, these two changes have come too late for the 2007 season.

The work has been completed to install the Ferrari engine, but few other alterations have been made to the car over the winter. Gascoyne has plans to develop the team and the car and already a Turkey B-Spec car has been announced but this late season major upgrade could well be at the expense of smaller but no less important developments in between.

Super Aguri

With only a week until the first race, Super Aguri are, amazingly, yet to unveil the new car. Discarding the ex-Arrows SA06B race car from 2006, up to now the team have tested a Honda R&D developed version of the Honda factory team's RA106.

As the new car has struggled to pass the variety of crash tests, its launch has been delayed until the team arrives in Melbourne. While the new car remains under wraps, the interim test car has shown well in testing.

At first the car was a clear replica of the old Honda with only details around the roll structure separating the cars. But in recent tests the independent thinking of the team has seen Honda parts replaced with Aguri parts.

The front wing has been replaced a curved biplane set up, while the unusual Honda cockpit fins have been replaced by more conventional winglets over the front suspension. Additionally the already large pod wings fitted to the Honda in 2006 have been further enlarged and re-profiled.

If the new car can match the pace the interim has shown in testing then the works Honda team could actually be put under some serious pressure from their customer team in 2007.

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- The Autosport.com Team

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