Why The First Race of the F1 Season Is So Important
The Formula One season kicks off in Australia on March 29, 2009. Even though it represents only the first race of the season, it is incredibly important due to some of the rules changes introduced before the season.
There are many compliments and criticism directed at Formula One. Many of them are more than deserved. One of the less noted criticisms is the nature of the cars performance for the season being set in race one. If the car is fast in race one, it will be fast all year. If the car is slow in race one, it will be slow all year. It is very rare for a car to pick up a lot of speed compared to the rival teams.
This criticism is going to be all the more accurate for the 2009 season. Why? In season testing is banned this year in a cost cutting move. This effectively eliminates the possibility of a team making progress to improve the car. If you recall the 2008 season, the Renault was a dog at the beginning of the season. As the season progressed, the team was able to develop the car with the arrogant, but brilliant, Fernando Alonso to the point the team was legitimately competitive in the last quarter of the season. Such a scenario will not play out this year. The teams cannot test proposed new parts, so there simply isn’t the realistic possibility of making jumps in performance.
Ah, but what about virtual testing? Can’t teams simulate the way parts will perform on the car and use such simulations to make improvements? Yes and no. The teams can definitely put together virtual projections. The problem is a car cannot simulate the balance or feel a driver has when tire is put to track. This is why testing is important. Certain changes actually work as projected while others simply do not.
I’ve heard arguments from the FIA that teams can develop the cars during the practice sessions on the race weekends. This is more of Max Mosley talking out of his S&M clad outfit. The practice sessions are one hour. It is laughable to think teams can do much in this period of time. Furthermore, no team is even going to try a mechanical change for fear of wasting the car for the races. With the prolonged periods the engines must last, it is the brave team indeed that is going to be pounding out the laps to see if some new idea works.
The ugly truth is teams that find themselves at the back of the pack in Australia will be there most of the year. If McLaren Mercedes is truly slow, the team is in for a very long year indeed.
Lemmy