New generation cars look great – Green
Force India’s technical boss Andy Green is looking forward to the new generation F1 cars after the implementation of sweeping aerodynamic and tyre changes for 2017. He expects aesthetically better and much quicker cars.
F1 has been accused of not being scarily fast and not looking beautiful any more since new aerodynamic rules have been introduced in 2009.
In a bid to make cars look more attracting, appealing and aggressive, F1 accepted a package of dramatic aerodynamic modifactions which is expected to lead to an increase in speed as well. The sport’s sole tyre manufacturer Pirelli is going to introduce much wider front and rear tyres as well which should also add to the spectacle.
Force India's Andy Green hails the look of the new cars which he labelled as aggressive machines that “will remember you of the cars from the 80’ and 90’”.
Asked about the change of downforce levels, Green added: “An increase of 20 to 25 per cent at the start of the season. That will be even more by the the end of 2017. I estimate it 30 to 35 per cent. It is the biggest step I have ever witnessed.”
Drag levels will be also higher, but that is not because of the increase of downforce, but due to the wider tyres.
“Drag will increase as well, but it it mainly thanks to the wider tyres. I guess the drag will increase by 5 to 10 per cent,” he said in an interview with German Auto Motor und Sport.
Higher drag will translate to a decrease of top speed. Green estimates the drop by 20 kph on long straights.
Cars should be blindingly fast through corners in 2017. In corners which already allow full-throttle, the speed will further increase and there will be turns which could be taken at full-throttle as of next season. The added mechnical grip from the wider, grippier tyres will also translate to higher speed in slow-speed corners.
“Eau Rouge is already flat. Due to the higher drag we will arrive there slower and go through flat of course. However, it will be a bit slower because Eau Rouge is already a straight today. There is for example turn 3 in Barcelona. That is nearly flat. That will be easily flat next year. Sequences of corners like sector 2 in Hungary will also be considerably faster. As will be pretty tight corners because wider tyres and wider traces will provide more mechanical grip and reduce weight transfer. I guess lap times will be reduced by 3 to 4 seconds at the Hungaroring,” said Green to the German publication.
