March always marks the beginning of a new Formula 1 season – and this year is no exception, as 11 teams and 22 drivers line up for the inaugural race of the 19-event marathon that starts this weekend at Australia’s Albert Park circuit.
Major changes in technical regulations will be implemented in 2014, when turbocharged engines will return to F1 after a quarter of a century, as they were banned at the end of 1988. For now, the biggest differences compared to 2012 are the restrictions in the use of the DRS system during practice and qualifying and the new tire compounds by sole supplier Pirelli.
At last year’s U.S. GP, FIA race director Charlie Whiting has said that the sport’s governing body would prohibit the use of DRS in qualifying and practice except at the places it is going to be used in the race.
“The whole point of the DRS was to improve overtaking in the race… and we didn’t really want to have it used in qualifying and practice before”, said Whiting, adding that its overall performance won’t change.
Moreover, teams now are allowed to use so-called “vanity panels” to disguise last year’s ungainly stepped noses and the front wings have to withstand more strict deflection tests. Also, after some incidents in 2012, this year any car that stops on the track must have enough fuel to return to the pits, in addition to the one-liter sample that is required by the regulations.
Understandably, most teams have decided to hone their 2012 cars than go for an all-new design and focus most of their attention on their 2014 challengers. Nevertheless, the 2013 cars are far from repainted versions of last year’s contenders; in F1, there’s no room for complacency.
As far as the line-ups are concerned, world champions Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and Lotus are the only teams that have retained the same drivers. The most notable move has been the one made by Lewis Hamilton, who left McLaren for Mercedes. The Woking team signed the Mexican Sergio Perez, who last season impressed with his performance in Sauber, to replace him.
Pirelli Motorsport director Paul Hembery commented: “From what we have observed from pre-season testing, the field seems to be closer than ever; quite an achievement when you consider that we had seven different winners in the first seven races last year.”
Will the RBR‘s and Sebastian Vettel’s stranglehold on the constructors and drivers championships be broken – and if yes, by whom? No matter; if the 2013 season shapes up to be as exciting as the last one, then we’re certainly in for a treat.
