New Season New Rule

Engine technology will be frozen for 3 years, no development on engine should be allowed from 2008, introduced by Max Mosley, FIA President. FIA is the association that runs the international Formula 1 race, in case some readers don’t know about this. Engine development will be banned for 3 seasons which means that each team has to use engines identical to those as of June this year. That’s really sad because major teams such as Renault, Ferrari and McLaren have dumped so much of their funds to develop their incredible engine technology. According to Mosley, the main purpose of this new rule is both to prevent teams from wasting vast amount of money to develop the existing engines even faster than they are already and to give a competitive future for the smaller teams.

Turbo-charged engine is banned since 1990s after Renault team was caught racing with their incredible turbo-charged F1 machine that no human is able to drive it without the aids from its built-in super computer. Over these few years, F1 engines’ technology has dropped from V12 to V10 then down to V8 recently. The rule makers said that they are doing this to ensure the safety of the drivers because the sport is getting more and more dangerous every year while the teams try to beat the best lap records.

Active suspension is also banned in F1 race since 1990s but the technology is then introduced for road cars. Have you ever noticed that whenever you step on your brake, you will feel that front of your car is pressing down and your back is slightly up? Active suspension will eliminate that, giving a better gripping performance of your car especially during bad weather. Active suspension will calculate the stiffness that your car needs in a very short period and then re-adjust the stiffness of your suspension. Isn’t it cool? Hehehe…but again according to F1 car inspectors that this is an driving aid, so it is banned in F1 race. During last weekend in HOCKENHEIM circuit (German Grand Prix), both Midland cars disqualified for running with flexible rear wings. According to the news, flexible rear wings have been the subject of much scrutiny this season and the latest interpretation of Article 3.15 of Formula One racing’s Technical Regulations requires parts of the car influencing aerodynamic performance to be rigidly secured to and remain immobile in relation to the unsprung part of the car. Therefore, obey the rules or be smart and hide your design from the technical inspectors, or else you will be out of the race.

Recently I am playing a PC game called F1 Career Challenge 1999 - 2005 where I contracted with McLaren team in the game for 2004 season. Last week I just finished 1st in HOCKENHEIM circuit race (German Grand Prix) with the fastest lap time at 1:16:255 while Michael Schumacher gotten his fastest lap at 1:16.357 in Germany last weekend. My gosh, I didn't know I can keep up with his time hehehe...naaaaah it's juat a simulation game, I bet I can't even complete one lap in a piece if I really drive a real F1 car hehehe... Anyway, currently I have 53 points ahead of Michael Schumacher in world championship 2004 season after completing Hungary Grand Prix with 1st and another 10 points few days ago. Belgium Grand Prix is next hehehe...and few more races will be the end of the season. By then, I have to start setting up the car for 2005 season, currently having trouble driving the new car, rear wheel always lost its grip when I am exiting a sharp corner, and spin me to no where hahahahahahaha... Anyway, just enjoying my game hehehehe...