Will rule changes make noticeable difference in Miami? F1 Q&A
Formula 1 has made a series of changes to the regulations governing power-units for this weekend's race in Miami. These are aimed at heading off some of the criticisms of the new rules that have emerged in the first three races. The changes focus on returning the feel of driving in qualifying to a more conventional/natural "on the limit" one, and alleviating concerns about the dangers of excessive closing speeds when one car is deploying full energy and another is charging its battery.
The detail of these changes is complex, but Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies spoke for most F1 figures last week when he said: "It's a good step forward. It's going in the right direction. " The idea is to reduce the need for so-called 'lift and coast' in qualifying, as well as the time spent when the engine is charging the electrical motor at full-throttle, which in F1 jargon is known as 'super-clipping'.
There are some other - rather esoteric - features of the new rules, about which drivers have complained, that should also be reduced. However, this is a long way from returning F1 driving to what it has traditionally been. One senior figure said these changes go about 20% of the way there.
Mekies and his opposite number at McLaren, Andrea Stella, both agree that a hardware change is needed to go the full distance. By that they mean a change in the fuel-flow rate of the internal combustion engine. This would change the current more or less 50-50 split to more like 60-40 or so.
Will it be a "noticeable change" in Miami? For the drivers, it looks like it. McLaren's Oscar Piastri said: "The changes to the boost button especially and then some of the way the power comes in should make things a bit more in our control and also a bit more sensible.