This F1 Life

SOLVING THE OVERTAKING CONUNDRUM

 

- Pat Symonds

2017 started with both promise and trepidation for F1 fans. The promise was of new, faster cars, and the trepidation was that the very changes that were made to produce these faster cars might lead to less exciting racing.

When the new-generation cars were first seen at pre-season testing there was universal acclaim for the aesthetics. It was enough to dispel the fears of many that the reversion to wider cars with broader tyres and larger rear wings would merely give an unwanted retro look.

The most meaningful test, however, would come as the racing season progressed: only then would the ability of the cars to race closely together become properly apparent.

New rules will often upset the established performance hierarchy, although the days of substantial revision giving a chance to the underdogs are probably long gone. Today the well-financed top teams are able to throw huge resource at whatever is presented to them, and therefore expectations were that Mercedes would continue to dominate.

The facts were slightly different and the challenge from Ferrari and latterly Red Bull produced some excellent racing.

That racing also showed that in spite of the new aerodynamic rules not intrinsically favouring close following, the cars did seem to be able to go wheel to-wheel without too much difficulty. There was some evidence in the early races, however, that the Ferrari was perhaps better behaved when in the wake of a Mercedes than was the case if the positions were reversed.

Much is spoken of the reasons that F1 cars perform badly when following closely. Much of it is uninformed and most of it is unproven. So let’s consider some of the basics.