The rumors are flying around Formula One and what the rules changes are shaping up to be for the 2013 season.
On the surface they sound like they might make things better by re-introducing turbo-charging and ground effects. But if you delve into the details – then it gets stupid.
The displacement is to be reduced to 1.6 liter and the driver limited to five engines per season. Oh yeah, and fuel delivery will be metered and therefore limited. Now wait a minute, turbo engines take a lot of fuel to keep from blowing up and so now it sounds like the FIA wants to run the engines lean (and blow them up) while limiting drivers to five a season?? They are barely able to limit themselves to eight with normally aspirated engines now.
Why don’t they just tell them to use Indy spec cars?
Ground effects can be great, but being down to 650 hp will certainly not make this a return to the 1980’s and I don’t think we need to see vacuum to the road solutions with powered fans providing the downforce.
I remember the GP cars of the eighties as rock hard go-cart suspensions (i.e., no suspension movement) that beat the crap out of the drivers and the cars.
Sure, I would like to see turbo powered engines again, but let’s make them at least two liters and give them ten a season. Mandate suspension travel so that the tires don’t do all the suspension work.
The most whining about aerodynamics is about being able to get close enough to the rear of another car without loosing the downforce that clear air provides. Maybe they should have two wings on the back set side-by-side over the tires and leave a center section clear for air to blow through relatively uninterrupted.
We have seen other crazy F1 rules come and go prior to the actual season, I sure hope that these get thought out more.
JIM'S GARAGE 
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