Are there actually any significant rule changes for next year? I can't think of any off the top of my head (probably missing something obvious though), so will the teams actually have to start from scratch again, or just overhaul this years car? I'd be curious to see which teams feel there is enough development left in this years car to make it race-winning next year. Mclaren maybe, as their design is quite radical, but the more conservative Ferrari perhaps not?
Next year your only allowed 86 seconds of Newey per pre-season test. Plus Newey will be banned when more than 1 second in the lead. Other than than I think its all the same.... But I also think I'm missing something major. Is KERS use changing?
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Silverstone is the decision point, apparently. Once Ferrari have evaluated the effects of the restriction on blown diffusers they'll decide whether or not to give up on this season and focus on 2012.
I do not see the point of stop working on this car to focus on the one for next season because there is no major regulation change so the cars are usually evolutions of themselves, Mercedes stopped working on their car last summer to focus on their current car and that has not really worked for them.
Mifune, I think Ferrari may be considering this because this years car was deemed too "conservative" and is more difficult to develop than the Mclaren. I think they are hoping that they can start again with a more radical design, incorporating some of the key features of the Mclaren, Red Bull, Renault, etc from the start, so they don't have to do awkward retrofitting work.
Yeah, as DHC says - if this year's car isn't working then stable regulations aren't going to make it any better in 2012.
Well the rear suspension is apparently giving them all sort of problems, and prevents them mimicking the Red Bull rear end. The whole chassis is simply too conservative and Pat Fry is the sort of person who will take risks and design a more extreme car, hopefully one that can challenge Red Bull. I've had a look at some interviews from the start of the year, and when asked about new innovative parts, the response was innovations to the rear wing and exhausts. We now know what they were - the smaller flap (which almost all teams use) and the exhaust blowing into the outer 5cm of the diffuser (also used by most teams). Taking more time to work on 2012 could see them launch a serious challenge to Red Bull. Now they need to work harder on the most important thing: aerodynamics. Under the leadership of Costa, good tyre management and reliability have come first. This is unacceptable when Ferrari are trying to beat Newey.
Well I've read and saw pictures that Red bull have copied Ferrari's "air diffuser" so they have that to fall on come silverstone while mclaren don't. If anything the gap could increase with the mclarens yet the Ferrari gap could decrease. Vettel's nearly got a 100 point gap on Alonso, (crazy I know) so I welcome the ferrari's fighting it out with the mclarens through the second half.
