FORMULA 1

EYES HAVE IT, EARS MISS OUT

Unlike almost every other category on this list, Formula 1 has its future rulebook locked and loaded. The 2021 rulebook for F1 was ratified by the World Motorsport Council just weeks before we went to print, meaning bar minor tweaks, these regulations are set in stone, and as inevitable as another Ferrari quit threat. So, what’s in store for the biggest racing series on the face of the planet?

Well, it’s not as drastic as those in charge would probably have hoped. The original proposal for 2021 has been watered down significantly by the supremely powerful Strategy Group which is made up of teams and manufacturers.

Engine regulations have remained untouched, much to the chagrin of anyone with ears, while aero and sporting rules have been tweaked with the aim, the category says, of “promoting closer racing and more balanced competition, as well as bringing economic and sporting sustainability to Formula 1”.

The cars are intended to be more visually alluring, while also helping to improve racing by cleaning up the ‘dirty air’ that plagues modern F1. This will be done by reshaping the front and rear wings, while simplifying suspension and revising the floor design to incorporate ground effect. In addition to this, 18-inch wheels will be introduced.

Away from the actual cars, the most important introduction is a cost cap, intended to curb the rampant spending of top teams. Each squad’s budget will be capped at US$175 million ($A250 million), quite the drop from the US$500m Mercedes is currently spending (and that excludes their engine costs). Independent regulators have been charged with keeping scheming teams honest. Good luck, bean counters.