F1 2020 predictions

[ScotsBrutesFan]

There are lots of threads going about future changes both to the rules and the cars, some minor tweaks, other such as the enclosed cockpit are far more radical.
Buts lets really think about the future and come up with proper suggestions of what you want an F1 car in lets 2020 to look like. I’m not talking about a full technical breakdown but to give a verbal “walk/talk around” of the car in words that everyone can understand.
So comments like “the front wing has a single full width lowest panel as the current cars do, but then a maximum of 2 additional elements either side of the nose cone” and “the cars are 20cm wider overall than the current ones” are descriptive without being too technical … This what I have in mind.
Mention any cost saving areas or new/additional devices that are now common, or controlled by an enhanced common ECU.

Adding to this the Relaunched F1 2020 is open to reworking the weekend format, so why not take a shot at this at the same time.

A post might begin ...
Front wing narrower than current one by 10 cm and constructed from a maximum of 4 elements. The front wing must be of a mandated ground clearance when stationary on the flat patch with mandated pressure (weights) applied.
Front tyres are the same width as current, but are made onto 16 inch rims with 5 inch tyre walls giving the same 26 inch diameter as the current cars have.
Engine and hybrid evolution to 1000Bhp
Etc., etc.

Let's hear your descriptions

[Casper]

PU will be closer to Formula E.

Bernie will be in an old aged pensioner care facility

Beyond that I haven't got a clue and neither have the idiots running the mental asylum that is F1.

[nickyf1]

I think it will be pretty much similar to what we see in 2017. And also bear in mind that the evolution between 2010 and now hasn't really been so drastic. The cars have lost the fins, the V8s have been replaced, the rear of the car is more restricted, and the noses have been lowered for safety purposes.

By 2020, I hope we will see a new tyre war and less regulations on which compounds a driver must run, and I think that could be a good bet. I also reckon we will continue to see 20 races a year, but at some point in the 2020s this will be reduced to 16/17.

[S griffin]

Front wing narrowed, with just two planes on the front. Brake ducts will be simple. Wider cars, wider rear wheels and no aero add ons. And maybe turbos will be gone.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

In common with all the F1 2020cars, this car is based around a common safety cell, that consists of Tub, and canopy onto which constructors build their own framework, which forms chassis and skeleton of the car.

The safety cell, built to the common spec, by the top 4 manufacturers and made available to the lesser and junior teams at a reasonable cost (economy of scale).

The Cockpit canopy has been developed in conjunction with BAE Systems, is Front Hinged and contains squib charges (like in the Hawk, Harrier and Tornado aircraft) that if detonated shatters the Lexan derivative material. Allowing the driver to escape/be extracted, without the canopy frame having to be opened. A safe pin would also be issued to the marshals to open the cockpit should a driver be incapable and the vehicle is upright

There are a number of safeguards against the squibs accidentally being fired, from the “remove before driving pin”, a 2 trigger sequence from within the car to arm and then fire, and an gyrostabilser system that automatically enables the charges if the car reaches a rollover angle, allowing the driver to blow the cockpit with just one of the triggers, or a marshal to blow the trigger using one of three buttons that also become active on the car (like the neutral or battery cut off buttons).
To accommodate the safety cell and the supports for the canopy, the overall width of the car has been increased by 25cm at it’s already widest point. The cockpit opening has been increased by 10cm in width as well

Moving forward from the cockpit, the constructors own front suspension components are onto the framework before the rather blunt looking Nose, that gently comes down to a Middle position. Hanging from this by angled struts, is the lowest piece of the front wing, the single piece that is narrower than on current cars has the maximum allowed 2 additional wing “elements” attached at each plate.

The floor of the car is the teams own design, and contains the Venturi type tunnels that brings back limited and controlled ground effect. The dimensions and areas where the tunnels can be located are tightly controlled by the FIA.

The side pods on the car look fairly convention by current standards, the most obvious difference being that with the cars being wider, the radiator openings appear a little larger.

Behind the canopy the power unit is an evolution of the current systems that allows in excess of 1000Hp, however some of the harvested electrical power will now be used for other functions, the exact amount, being controlled by the next generation common ECU.

The power unit now has 2 parallel exiting exhausts which emerge from under the engine bodywork. there is a minimum distance from they must be from the centreline of the car.
The rear suspension and gear box mounting are essentially the same as currently styled.
The new rear wing also mounted on to the gearbox, with either a single mounting arm of a specified width which sits on the centreline of the car. The rear wing itself is a single span with large endplates. There is no DRS function.

The car sits on tyres of the same overall dimensions, that is a diameter of 26 inches, however this is now made up of 18 inch rims with 8 inches of sidewalls, (current is 13 inch rims and 13 inches of side wall).
Within the cockpit there is a mandated Aircon system powered by the separated off electrical power mentioned earlier, the drivers have a common HUD system (Heads Up Display) projecting information into their view. The HUD works with the common ECU to ensure that the information is available no matter what the car.

Overall the car has gained a lot of weight; however, the minimum weight has been increased as well so that no matter the driver, ballast positioned by the team will be required to make the weight.

Opinions please

[Richard C]

In general the cars will be mostly the same as they are today. But my predictions are…

• Turbo petrol. Probably still V6 and same displacement as current
• Complete revamp of the system of PU development freezes. In short, more open to mid season development.
• Overall more power from the PU, but the majority of that increase will be via a larger hybrid storage system. So it can be used more frequently on track (maybe even in a push to pass scenario, but it will not be called that).
• Tweaks (slight increase) to flow fuel flow rates.
• No refueling
• Single tire supplier. Current system of being forced to use two specs during race is likely to stay.
• DRS might go away if the extra hybrid capacity allows for more power difference on the straights. In short, some type of system to help aid passing will exist.
• Less flat bottom to the car. Maybe a new spec bottom that is a non-radical ground effect wing
• If they do the new bottom, then they will significantly reduce the footprint for the front and rear wings. Those wings will be more about balance than before.
• No active suspension
• No active aero
• Classic/current flappy paddle transmissions. No manual gear shifts (sorry fans of that idea )
• Manual clutch for start only.
• Cockpit canopy. Canopy itself will not be a spec component, but some of the release features/hardware will be. Clearly there will be a new set of canopy specific testing specifications (impact tests, driver egress time, etc.) Tough questions about cockpit cooling. I think WEC does cockpit A/C? I expect WEC would be somewhat of a model of how to do it
• Minimum weight will not include driver. Light weight drivers will be ballasted up to a minimum driver weight.
• 18” wheels
• No tire warmers
• Customer cars
• No cost cap system (sadly)

I actually thing the above is a pretty radical overhaul when you look at it in its entirety. I could keep stacking on things but it becomes more of a wish list vs. what I think might actually happen. Also I could speculate about race format (three cars, Sat sprint race to set Sun grid positions, etc.), but I think that would be a shot in the dark.

Richard

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Given the number of armchair aero experts and that we have had offering opinions on the other threads.

I was expecting more to come out with some visions of what a F1 car in 2020 night look like.

[Greem]

Personally I'm struggling to imagine what F1 will look like, let alone an F1 car. I imagine there will be significant changes between now and 2020, so significant that I reckon F1 in 2020 will be hugely different to what it is now.

[ASCII Man]

The way things are going now, I don't think F1 will exist in the 2020's.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Greem

Personally I'm struggling to imagine what F1 will look like, let alone an F1 car. I imagine there will be significant changes between now and 2020, so significant that I reckon F1 in 2020 will be hugely different to what it is now.

It's only five years away and will use rules that will be defined and finalized before that. It's not far away. Unless we experience a revolution within F1, it will likely be very similar to what we have today (with minor tweaks).

Richard

[ScotsBrutesFan]

And that's part of why I created this thread,

Evolution is easy, it's what's been happening with aero, to the point that they had to artificially undo it by DRS flaps.

If F1 one is to bring back limited ground effect, now is the time to come up with the ideas as to how this can be done in a controlled manor and done safely.

If that's a common floor, then lets get the idea out there for discussion, kick it around seriously. Lets see how much wing can come off for a specific floor pattern, and whether 2 test hacks using these can actually run nose to tail and slipstream?

But if F1 is going to be the pinnacle again, it has to be have something more distinctive. Place unmarked (or identically marked) F1, GP2 and WSR 3.5 cars next to one another and ask Joe public which is which, many would be hard pushed to get all three in the right order.

F1, I feel needs to set itself different from the rest, and it's that something appearing on a 2020 car I'm looking for in the discussions here.

[AoB Special Stage]

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

The way things are going now, I don't think F1 will exist in the 2020's.

+1

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Casper

PU will be closer to Formula E.

Bernie will be in an old aged pensioner care facility

Beyond that I haven't got a clue and neither have the idiots running the mental asylum that is F1.

I thought he already was in a care facility? It's called FOM and takes care of all his needs.

Bernie may have departed this world by then.

As for F1 itself, I think it will contract, because TV viewers will decline, due to F1 predominately becoming pay to view and those far flung GPs in those countries with no motorsports heritage, who are paying through the nose to host races, realise they aren't getting anything out of their association with F1 and want out.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I thought he already was in a care facility? It's called FOM and takes care of all his needs.

Bernie may have departed this world by then.

As for F1 itself, I think it will contract, because TV viewers will decline, due to F1 predominately becoming pay to view and those far flung GPs in those countries with no motorsports heritage, who are paying through the nose to host races, realise they aren't getting anything out of their association with F1 and want out.

Welcome back to civilisation or what we take as civilisation these days. I think you had better send Bernie a memo because he thinks everyone on earth can watch F1.

[chillibowl]

worse still...i think he thinks everyone on earth wants to also pay for the privilege of watching it.