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We are currently in what I call the F1 Winter Famine, when F1 fans the world over are deprived of their beloved sport! Although, behind the scenes, the F1 teams are working frantically to get their cars ready for the 62nd Formula One season. This year there will be twenty rounds, the longest season in F1 history, with the first Indian Grand Prix. Pirelli are taking over from Bridgestone as tyre supplies to all the teams, as Sebastian Vettel seeks to defend his Driver’s Championship and Red Bull Racing their Constructor’s Championship. It’s a good year for Brits, with three drivers on the grid, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton (both McLaren) and Paul di Resta (Force India). Bring it on!

2011 also sees inevitable rule changes, which always help to give a little uncertainty each year. There’s a return to the 107% rule in qualifying (Q1 only) that will prevent very slow drivers taking part in the race. Team orders look set to remain a contentious issue, but the FIA has increased the maximum allowable penalty which racing stewards can issue to teams from $100,000 to $250,000. This follows the 2010 German Grand Prix where Ferrari were fined $100,000 for the use of team orders. It’s very difficult to ban them outright, but any team using coded instructions will be fined because they deceive spectators and would force teams and drivers to lie defend their position. How this will work out in practice has yet to be seen. Team orders have always been a part of the sport, although they often provoke a strong reaction amongst the fans.

There’s some technical rule changes being brought in, such as the maximum height of the diffuser being cut from 175 to 125 millimetres, the exclusion of double diffuser designs in order to reduce aerodynamic downforce and turbulent air, and the banning of exhaust-blown diffusers (which also increase downforce). The F-duct system (originally developed by McLaren, but copied by other teams) has also been banned on safety grounds, because it relied on the driver blocking a gap in the cockpit. As an alternative to the F-duct system, an adjustable rear wing system is being introduced to aid overtaking, but this will only be available under certain conditions and could be dropped if it proves impractical or unmanageable. Several smaller aerodynamic devices introduced for 2010 have been banned in 2011.

The number of wheel tethers will be doubled this year following an increasing number of accidents where wheels have been torn free from their mountings, including the death of Henry Surtees in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch in 2009. KERS units will be optional for all teams, gearboxes must now last for five races instead of four, and drivers will have one additional gearbox that may be changed without penalty for the purposes of completing an event. Driving standards are being tightened up to prevent overly-aggressive driving, as well as stricter penalties for drivers seeking to gain an advantage by deliberately driving outside the boundaries of the track. A curfew will also be implemented, preventing teams from accessing the circuit between midnight and six o’clock in the morning. This because of safety concerns for over-tired mechanics in the busy pit lane during the race. Look out for more F1 posts during the year!

Note: F1 fans will appreciate the fact that I published this automatically at 1.00 pm on a Sunday!