Season start this weekend!

Calender 2016



Teams & Drivers 2016


New Cars & Livery 2016

Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid


Ferrari SF16-H


Williams-Mercedes FW38


Red Bull Racing-Tag Heuer RB12


Toro Rosso-Ferrari STR11


Renault R.S.16


Force India-Mercedes VJM09


McLaren-Honda MP4-31


Manor-Mercedes MRT05


Haas-Ferrari VF-16


Sauber C35-Ferrari


Biggest Season Changes so far 2016



Exhaust layout - to improve engine noise, teams must now use separate exhaust pipes for the turbine and wastegate rather than the single exhaust used in 2015. The rules allow for the option of using a twinpipe for the wastegate, though any exit must not be more than 100mm from the main pipe.

Power unit allowance - with the number of championship rounds increasing from 19 to 21 this year, the number of power units each driver is allowed to use over the course of the season has increased from four to five. Consequently, grid penalties will only kick in when each driver uses a sixth of any one of the six disparate power unit elements.

Power unit development - Each manufacturer will be allowed 32 power unit tokens for in-season development. They may use these at their discretion. Additionally, whereas previously no manufacturer could supply more than one specification of power unit, engines homologated in previous seasons may now be re-homologated for use in 2016.

"Engine exhaust systems must have only a single turbine tailpipe exit and either one or two wastegate tailpipe exits which must all be rearward facing and through which all exhaust gases must pass."
Article 5.8.2 of the 2016 FIA Technical Regulations

Cockpit safety - the head protection structures either side of the cockpit are now 20mm higher than before and able to resist a compression load of 50N per 30 seconds.

Tyres - To encourage variation between race strategies, Pirelli are now making three, rather than two, of their five dry-weather tyre compounds (including the new purple-marked ultrasoft) available at each event. The Italian company will allocate two sets of tyres for the race (only one of which must be used) and one set which can only be used in Q3 (the softest of the chosen three compounds). Each driver will then be able to choose 10 further sets of tyres from the three compounds to take their weekend allocation to 13.

Virtual Safety Car - The Virtual Safety Car (VSC) may now be used in practice sessions as well as races in order to reduce stoppage times, while DRS will now be re-enabled immediately after a VSC period.

Accident analysis - For the purpose of accident analysis, each car must be fitted with a high speed camera and each driver must wear in-ear accelerometers at each event and all tests which are attended by more than one team.

Testing - The number of pre-season tests has been slashed from three to two, meaning that the teams may participate in eight days of track running ahead of the new season rather than the 12 they had available in 2015.

Qualifying - a revised, elimination system has been agreed. It retains the idea of three separate qualifying segments to decide the grid, but under a changed format as set out below:

Q1
- 16 minutes
- After 7 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
- 7 drivers eliminated, 15 progress to Q2

Q2
- 15 minutes
- After 6 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
- 7 drivers eliminated, 8 progress to Q3

Q3
-14 minutes
- Ater 5 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
- 2 drivers left in final 1 minute 30 seconds

fairly comprehensive op. looking forward to seeing fernando alonso finish out of the points on many occasions once again.

are bernie's new qualifying shenanigans ready for australia? i thought i read that they'll get phased in after a few races

Lol @ Alonso.

I'm looking forward to seeing Verstappen getting a podium with a bit of luck.

So, anyone gonna be close to Mercedes this year? I'd like to see Ferrari/Vettel at least compete...

nah markt thinks its gonna be merc 1-2 all year again

also they came out of pre season with a ridic reliability record, so even mechanical failures are prob gonna be off the table for the most part

Subbed nice op donkless

Thanks.

Lets hope the new qualifying changes something in domination of Mercedes. Or some escalating fights between the two of them again.

Didn't get to watch the qualifying live, looks like the new rules didn't really change anything.

New qualifying was awesome in Q1. And went waaaay downhill thereafter

Lewis must have got drunk before the race this time

The start should make the whole race worth watching.

This is brilliant! no idea if it'll work or not but 3 tyre compounds to choose from has at least been used!

edit: holy crap there's not much left of that McLaren...

Unbelievable he just walked out of that car. Red Flag.

Jesus Christ that crash. And to just walk away.

Amazing safety design

This. Still had all the wheels connected to the mess that was left.

Fantastic race! Amazing job Haas!

Bit dissapointing too see Verstappen finish 10th but indeed a great debute for Haas and Grosjean.

Qualifying will be the same as in 2015 again was commented on Dutch television.

Missed the race, probably going to be the best race of the year.

lol me I guess.

kudos to the lads at mclaren, they finally figured out how to make their car go fast. not sure its a sustainable way to win races tho

just saw that crash. Insane.

That crash got me to subscribe, wth.

The qualification system really is ******ed

Lol, I agree, this is probably the worst qualifyinground in years.

It's easy to get more entertainment imho, give everyone a couple of sets of qualifying tyres, which can't be used in the race. Everyone would be driving the entire qualifying.

Let's hope the race is more entertaining tomorrow.

last round was fine at least

***** give everyone 10 sets of quali tyres, no1 should at any point be conserving anything in quali