The Official 2017 F1 Pre-Season Thread

[ukaskew]

Only a few days from pre-season(!), so here goes...


Regulations

2017 FIA Sporting and Technical Regulations: http://www.fia.com/regulation/category/110

Key Changes:

Wet Weather Standing Starts: If a safety car is deemed to be required at the start of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occcur once the track is deemed safe.

Stockpiling Power Units: New limit of 4 power units per season. If a driver introduces more than one power unit element that is subject to a penalty during any single event, only the last element fitted may be used at subsequent events without further penalty.

Tyre Allocations: Pirelli will supply a default tyre package to each driver for the first 5 races of the season (2 hard, 4 medium, 7 soft)

Bodywork Changes: Significant bodywork and tyre changes including 60mm wider front tyres, 80mm wider rear tyres. Wider suspension track, wider floor, wider front wing and lower and wider rear wings.


Winter Testing

Date	Circuit
Feb 27-Mar 2	Barcelona, Spain
Mar 7-10	Barcelona, Spain

Confirmed Driver Line-Ups

Team	Driver	Driver
Mercedes	Lewis Hamilton	Valtteri Bottas
Red Bull	Daniel Ricciardo	Max Verstappen
Ferrari	Sebastian Vettel	Kimi Raikkonen
Force India	Sergio Perez	Esteban Ocon
Williams	Felipe Massa	Lance Stroll
McLaren	Fernando Alonso	Stoffel Vandoorne
Toro Rosso	Carlos Sainz	Daniil Kyvat
Haas	Romain Grosjean	Kevin Magnussen
Renault	Nico Hulkenburg	Jolyon Palmer
Sauber	Marcus Ericsson	Pascal Wehrlein

Car Launch

Team	Date	Location
Renault	February 21	London
Force India	February 22	Silverstone
Sauber	February 22	Barcelona
Mercedes	February 23	Silverstone
Ferrari	February 24	Fiorano
McLaren	February 24	MTC
Williams	February 25	TBC
Haas	February 26	Online
Red Bull	February 26	Online
Toro Rosso	February 26	Barcelona

Provisional Calendar

Date	Circuit	Sky F1	Channel 4
March 26	Melbourne, Australia	Y
April 9	Shanghai, China	Y
April 16	Bahrain, Bahrain	Y	Y
April 30	Sochi, Russia	Y	Y
May 14	Barcelona, Spain	Y
May 28	Monte Carlo, Monaco	Y	Y
June 11	Montreal, Canada	Y
June 25	Baku, Azerbaijan	Y	Y
July 9	Spielberg, Austria	Y
July 16	Silverstone, Great Britain	Y	Y
July 30	Budapest, Hungary	Y
August 27	Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium	Y	Y
September 3	Monza, Italy	Y
September 17	Singapore, Singapore	Y	Y
October 1	Sepang, Malaysia	Y	Y
October 8	Suzuka, Japan	Y
October 22	Austin, USA	Y	Y
November 5	Mexico City, Mexico	Y
November 12	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Y
November 26	Abu Dhabi, UAE	Y	Y

• Le Mans 24hr June 17-18
• Goodwood Festival of Speed June 29 - July 2

UK TV Rights

Sky TV - All sessions live. HD and Ultra HD, subscription service, no adverts during race.

Channel 4 - 10 races (inc. practice and qualifying) live negotiated with Sky. Highlights of all other races. HD, free to air, no adverts during race.

Edited by ukaskew on Monday 20th February 12:25

[rsbmw]

Nice, thanks

[The Hypno-Toad]

Slightly confused. I thought that Sky had sole live rights for 2017? Or does that kick in 2018?

[Teppic]

The Hypno-Toad said:

Slightly confused. I thought that Sky had sole live rights for 2017? Or does that kick in 2018?

Sky have the exclusive live rights for 2019 - 2024.

[Gettoff]

Thanks OP, good info and appreciate the effort.

[tight fart]

Teppic said:

Sky have the exclusive live rights for 2019 - 2024.

So from 2019 it will probably go the same way as boxing.

[glazbagun]

ukaskew said:

Only a few days from pre-season(!), so here goes...


Regulations

2017 FIA Sporting and Technical Regulations: http://www.fia.com/regulation/category/110

Key Changes:

Wet Weather Standing Starts: If a safety car is deemed to be required at the start of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occcur once the track is deemed safe.

This might be entertaining, but I reckon it might also be pretty unfair to drivers whose grid slot happens to be off the racing line or in a puddle. Should send forum servers into meltdown for 2017

[suffolk009]

Am I right inthinking that means that they'll have a standing start after they've done a few laps behind the safety car in the rain?

Also I'm seeing news that there'll be standing starts after each saftey car period.

Good grief, I mean I know the start is exciting. But this will look utterly stupid. I'm not a Football fan, but it's like the FA deciding that everyone likes seeing goals scored so matches will now be 80 minutes of penalties.

[ukaskew]

Just noticed Sky are broadcasting in Ultra HD next season. Unusually quick from FOM there.

[Vaud]

ukaskew said:

Just noticed Sky are broadcasting in Ultra HD next season. Unusually quick from FOM there.

I think there is change happening... F1 website actually containing video clips, etc... more social media.

[Flooble]

suffolk009 said:

Am I right inthinking that means that they'll have a standing start after they've done a few laps behind the safety car in the rain?

Also I'm seeing news that there'll be standing starts after each saftey car period.

Good grief, I mean I know the start is exciting. But this will look utterly stupid. I'm not a Football fan, but it's like the FA deciding that everyone likes seeing goals scored so matches will now be 80 minutes of penalties.

US Owners? I heard it said that American Football stops play so often in order to accommodate commercial breaks. Presumably having lots of pauses in the race would be ideal for slotting in some adverts.

[TheLimla]

I have a feeling redbull will be back in charge. I hope not...

[glazbagun]

I can see McLaren becoming perennial also-rans at best this season. If the new car was expected to be super-fab, then I'd imagine RD would have been able to cling on, that he hasn't makes me fear the worst about their chances next year. Having said that, Ferrari seem to be in an even worse place.

RB will be interesting. If Renault are going with a clean sheet engine after all the pain they've suffered then I'm assuming it'll be a good one.

[ukaskew]

TheLimla said:

I have a feeling redbull will be back in charge. I hope not...

On the other hand I don't think too many people would begrudge either of those guys winning the title. A close championship between those two (and I have a feeling it would be) would be an interesting dynamic.

[ajprice]

ukaskew said:

TheLimla said:

I have a feeling redbull will be back in charge. I hope not...

On the other hand I don't think too many people would begrudge either of those guys winning the title. A close championship between those two (and I have a feeling it would be) would be an interesting dynamic.

Red Bull have got closer this year, have they said their engine for next year is the new spec Renault engine as it is or are they doing the 'Tag Heuer' branding again? I don't think the Renault engines in Vettel's Red Bulls were ever the most powerful, so hopefully they can get a step ahead with their aero and get up with Mercedes. Rather than Mercedes or Red Bull dominating, I'd like to see them about even and have Hamilton/Rosberg/Ricciardo/Verstappen all in it together.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Wet Weather Standing Starts: If a safety car is deemed to be required at the start of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occur once the track is deemed safe.



Does that mean the end of safety car starts, and that the race will be held off until dry enough? If so, then why not say so? (rather than convoluted wordage ) or am I misunderstanding?

[rscott]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Wet Weather Standing Starts: If a safety car is deemed to be required at the start of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occur once the track is deemed safe.



Does that mean the end of safety car starts, and that the race will be held off until dry enough? If so, then why not say so? (rather than convoluted wordage ) or am I misunderstanding?

They'll start behind the safety car, continue behind it until the track is deemed safe, then form up on the grid and have a normal standing start.

[Flooble]

ajprice said:

Red Bull have got closer this year, have they said their engine for next year is the new spec Renault engine as it is or are they doing the 'Tag Heuer' branding again? I don't think the Renault engines in Vettel's Red Bulls were ever the most powerful, so hopefully they can get a step ahead with their aero and get up with Mercedes. Rather than Mercedes or Red Bull dominating, I'd like to see them about even and have Hamilton/Rosberg/Ricciardo/Verstappen all in it together.

What might be really exciting is if we have Red Bull with an aero advantage and Mercedes with a (less marked) horsepower advantage, such that the cars are at their best in different parts of the track. Bit like now, but with less of a gulf (Mercedes have so much spare power they can add extra downforce and push through the drag, which compensates for their aero not being quite up to the Red Bull standard).

Then you might see positions swapping back and forth ...

[ajprice]

Flooble said:

ajprice said:

Red Bull have got closer this year, have they said their engine for next year is the new spec Renault engine as it is or are they doing the 'Tag Heuer' branding again? I don't think the Renault engines in Vettel's Red Bulls were ever the most powerful, so hopefully they can get a step ahead with their aero and get up with Mercedes. Rather than Mercedes or Red Bull dominating, I'd like to see them about even and have Hamilton/Rosberg/Ricciardo/Verstappen all in it together.

What might be really exciting is if we have Red Bull with an aero advantage and Mercedes with a (less marked) horsepower advantage, such that the cars are at their best in different parts of the track. Bit like now, but with less of a gulf (Mercedes have so much spare power they can add extra downforce and push through the drag, which compensates for their aero not being quite up to the Red Bull standard).

Then you might see positions swapping back and forth ...

Yeah, thats what I'm hoping for, Mercedes power v Red Bull aero .

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

rscott said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Wet Weather Standing Starts: If a safety car is deemed to be required at the start of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occur once the track is deemed safe.



Does that mean the end of safety car starts, and that the race will be held off until dry enough? If so, then why not say so? (rather than convoluted wordage ) or am I misunderstanding?

They'll start behind the safety car, continue behind it until the track is deemed safe, then form up on the grid and have a normal standing start.

Aha, I see. I like the sound of that. That will mean frantic tyre changes? (At the moment if safety car start full wets mandatory. If track has dried for standing start might want inters?)