Next year (2009) sees big changes for Formula 1. The biggest change for all F1 fans around the world is that the cars are going to look different with slick tyres, no aerodynamics aids/appendages on the top - just narrower rear wings and wider front wings allowed. A KERS (Kinetic Energy recovery System) will be developed for the cars and the drivers might be able to adjust the angle of the front wing as well as firing the KERS at the push of a button. All sounds very much like something out of Death Race 2000, or the wacky races i know; but how will this enhance our enjoyment of a GP in 2009?.It should give all of us hard to please F1 fans what we've been wanting for a long time. More overtaking...or maybe not that much more overtaking but more attempts to pass by a fired up driver. The best thing about the design changes is that it brings the racing back to the driver - who will not be hobbled by the dirty wash of air coming off the car he has reeled in. In the 09 car a driver who has caught-up with a rival should be able to get close enough (right under his gear box) to use the extra grip with the slick tyres and really lean into a corner before a straight. He will have more realistic feel when finding the limit of adhesion therefore enabling himself to get a run on the rival driver in front; going into the whole created by the narrow rear wing the air will still be turbulent. This is when the pursuing driver lowers the nose of the car forcing it under the turbulent air and creating more speed from a slipstream. The braking zone is now approaching and it's time to dart out from behind the car in front, hit the KERS button, which will release another 25% of stored power - and then stand on the brakes as late as possible, job done...or is it?. What if the driver being pursued also hits the KERS and brakes later?. What if the pursuing driver has used up his KERS trying to catch up to make the pass?. We could have a series of unpredictable and exciting combinations here; the attempts to pass could go on for nail biting lap after nail biting lap...there again it might not work as well as that but it is a step in the right direction as far as i'm concerned.
All this will be very good material for the new BBC commentators and presenters. Who will they be?. Well it looks like the show could be presented by retired F1 driver, David Coulthard or Martin Brundle. This is where the familiar people and voices will end when it comes to being transferred from ITV to the BBC. James Allen, Steve Ryder and all the others will not be taken on board; a new team will be formed. One of the new commentators could be Radio-5 Lives, Jonathan Legard (pictured above). All i know is that so far the one guaranteed good thing about F1 going to the BBC is the obvious absence of Ad-breaks. ITV created the first proper F1 show and has set a high bench mark for the BBC...lets hope they don't screw it up...Oh, by the way : Berny Ecclestone wants to scrap the points system and dish out medals instead...don't spoil 09 by doing this Berny...
S.
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