2014 Formula 1 Technical Regulations: The Dawn of a New Era

"It is like going back to Formula One's stone age." - P. Sauber

Last year, around this time, the F1 big heads were focusing on adopting new technical regulations regarding engines and aerodynamics, beginning 2014.

The organisers behind Formula 1 have been pushing a green-tech agenda in recent years, all in a bid to remain relevant in the face of growing environmentalist pressures. To their merit, they’ve quickly developed KERS  into a vital, race-winning technology which is being trickled down into more “real world” products from Volvo and Porsche, among others.


To keep the good green times going, the FIA has announced that the sport will switch to a new, twin-turbocharged V6 format for its racecars at the start of the 2014 season.

V6 engines in the 1980s

This isn’t Formula 1′s first turbo era – and the last (in the 80s) did indeed lead to advances in turbocharged passenger cars, from the Ferrari F40 to the turbocharged, 4-cylinder variants of Chrysler’s Dodge Caravan minivans. Oddly enough, however, the biggest reason for choosing the V6 configuration over the previously proposed inline 4 cylinder configuration wasn’t based on engineering or economics – it was based on sound.

Formula 1 is – in many ways – is more about spectacle than it is about cars or go-fast electro-bang whizzery, and the scream of a Formula 1 engine at 18,000 rpm is one of those things that, well, let’s just say, if it speaks to you, then it Speaks to YOU.

Expected changes to specifications include:

Combustion engine specifications:

• 1600cc, V6
• 15000 rpm max
• Direct fuel injection up to 500bar
• Single turbocharger
• Controlled fuel flow

Energy recovery and storage systems specifications:

• Kinetic, 120kW on the rear wheels
• Exhaust energy recovery linked to the turbocharger

80s F1 cars weren't exactly competing in beauty contests

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Expected aerodynamic and rule changes

1.) Smaller front wings

Size of the front wings are further reduced. At present, F1 car may use the full 1,800mm width of the cars – from 2014 they will be cut to 1,650mm.

Further tightening of restrictions at the front and rear of the car, and around the middle of the car to continue the work begun in the 2009 regulations changes to ‘clean up’ the appearance of the cars and reduce the number of small aerodynamic appendages.

2.) Cars driven by electric power only in the pits

All the cars will be power driven only in the pitlane from 2014. Once entered into the pits and until exiting the pits cars must run “in electric mode” with “no ignition and no fuel supply to the engine at all times when being driven in the pit lane.”

For the time being, this ruling is under objection by the teams and highly classified persons in F1.

The main objection is that this will make pitlane silent and dangerous.

3.) Self-starting engine

Drivers will now be able to start the engine “when seated normally at the wheel and without any external assistance.”

This should put an end to drivers retiring from races because of stalled engines.

4.) Minimum weight for the car increased

The minimum weight of the cars will increase again, to 660kg (from 640kg) from 2014.

A minimum weight for the power unit (including the engine and energy recovery system) has been set at 155kg – previously the engine alone was subject to a minimum weight of 95kg.

5.) Extra gear

The number of forward gears will be increased to eight.

Expected design of 2014 cars

2014 regulations expected to significantly alter the design of the chassis

Compared to the 2012 cars, the 2014 designs will be altered significantly: smaller front wing, a flat nose, a wider rear end with a much lower diffuser to increase downforce.

So far, this is all we know regarding the future designs, but expect these aerodynamic elements to alter as more rules will be adopted in the next 2 years before we officially head into 2014. A year that will mark a new era in Formula 1, to the same extent as 2009, which saw smaller teams challenging the big guns in the likes of Ferrari and McLaren. Competition will inevitably be shaken once more.