Everything happening off-track in F1 - Jon on all the news he's chasing
Added 2025-03-02 10:53:02 +0000 UTCJon stops off on his journey back from F1 testing to share the contents of his trusty notepad with The Race Members' Club - here's everything that's been bubbling away in the paddock while the cars have been on track.
Comments
2024 was a pleasant surprise, and I'm hoping that 2025 brings more surprises.
ZedZedNova
2025-03-03 19:02:31 +0000 UTCYou're not wrong about the size of cars in this era. I know that a fair bit of the car's size is due to the size of the power unit coupled to safety concerns. It would be an interesting design exercise to see what could be done to bring the size of the cars back down to the late 1980s early 1990s size while retaining the safety of the driver. The leaps and bounds forward in the materials used to construct a car have been astounding, surely the advances could be applied to shrink the size of the car.
ZedZedNova
2025-03-03 19:00:47 +0000 UTCWhat? old skool carbed pushrod v8s? Maybe in a Socal hotrod, but not in F1. Not a huge fan of how the turbo-hybrid v6s sound, and I do enjoy the sound of big honkin' v8s (gimme some big block Can-Am cars, please!), but F1 isn't about looking backwards (too much). I think Christian whinging is Christian just being Christian trying to play down RB's decision to go their own way with engines. If we're gonna whine about engines, let's change the F1 engine spec to require Rotary/Wankel engines. I love the sound of an uncorked rotary. Full disclosure: I race a 1981 Mazda Rx7, and I'm building an Rx8 engined 2009 Mx5 (NC Miata).
ZedZedNova
2025-03-03 18:50:34 +0000 UTCI believe Bernieโs wife works for the FIA. He has influence in both camps thanks to Horner.
Mark Martin
2025-03-03 14:53:30 +0000 UTCTo me it's not hybrid vs NA engines - it's that the cars are too big and heavy. 2009-2013 NA V8s with KERS were fine - sounded good, had the extra oomph from KERS, weighed the best part of 200kg less than the current cars, and were 10% narrower (effectively making tracks 10% wider). Making a ruleset which includes ground effect aero so the cars can race closely, a minimum weight with driver of 600kg and smaller cars, a maximum fuel allowable rule (like we have now) but it being biofuel/synthetic fuel, and something like 3 litre NA engines, would seem to address most of the concerns. But to not have learned from 2014 and the 'talking down' of the new rule set, to have so much negativity around 2026 leads me to think there are going to be some major issues with those rules.
Clay Woolcock
2025-03-03 05:51:02 +0000 UTCIs that the pinnacle of motorsport?
Cathal O'Brien
2025-03-02 23:11:30 +0000 UTCBernie wasnโt there. But Bernie was right
Drew
2025-03-02 21:54:21 +0000 UTCPfft. If Christian is concerned about engine/powertrain complexity, let's remove the complexity and require 2 valve per cylinder pushrod V8s; cast iron block, cast iron cylinder heads, cast iron exhaust manifolds, and with big cast pot metal carburetors sitting on top of cast iron intake manifolds. Boom! Done. Simple... ๐
ZedZedNova
2025-03-02 19:02:49 +0000 UTCAs a new fan, Iโve absolutely loved hearing all of the stories of the V10 era. Personally Iโd love to see it happen! Also, perhaps this is my limited perspective, but so many of the manufactuers will continue to invest in EV tech - Iโm curious what they actually learn from the investment into the F1 batteries, etc.. that actually makes it back to road cars. Not saying Iโm wholesale against EVโs either, but would be awesome to see F1 make strides with really performant bio-fuel engines (for me that would be way more interesting in terms of the affect it could have on the automotive industry as a whole).
Andrew Narduzzi
2025-03-02 18:40:31 +0000 UTCReally enjoying these small snippets - notebook, car roundup vids etc, nice additions to the usual pods!
Olli Emmerson
2025-03-02 17:11:25 +0000 UTCYou're right they won't. It's not financially viable to go backwards in engine tech. As much as I hate hybrids. They are hear to stay. Just cus they sound good isn't a good enough reason to bring back N.A engines. Even on bio fuels.
Titan420
2025-03-02 17:03:29 +0000 UTCGreat update! When it comes to the v10 stuff, I might be an outlier, but I'm honestly kinda bored with it already, bacause I just can't see them bringing back v10s(heyyoo, puns). F1 bent over backwards to get new/keep old manufacturers with these engine regs, and can you convince an Audi or a Honda to stay whilest chucking the hybrid element in the bin?... doubtful...
Benjamin
2025-03-02 15:45:21 +0000 UTCVery good point about the noise for new fans. The other thing we loved about V10 era is the unreliability, which won't be the same because materials science and manufacturing processes are better. I also think that the drivers are, on average, better today.
Simon Emms
2025-03-02 15:22:33 +0000 UTCIf they were to come back, they won't sound the same as the V10s we grew up with - I suspect they'll give them some ridiculous rev limit which makes them unbearable to listen to. Also, I dare say that if you asked the new influx of F1 fans, they might say the V10s are too noisy and spoils their enjoyment of the racing (!!) - after all, they've never experienced anything other than than the current hybrids, so we can't assume new fans will even want V10s
Stuart Coulter
2025-03-02 15:16:33 +0000 UTCGreat update!
Davy Coolen
2025-03-02 14:54:40 +0000 UTCThe danger with nostalgia is that you only remember the highlights reel.
Simon Emms
2025-03-02 13:06:58 +0000 UTCYeah, I agree with you on the V10s. Humans do love to reminisce and get all nostalgic.
Michael Holden
2025-03-02 12:35:18 +0000 UTCI don't know if I'm being a contrarian or just a pessimist to Mr Holden's optimist, but I slightly worry about a V10 comeback that people will expect the nostalgia and the stuff we remember. I can also see that those who aren't doing well will say that the hybrid engines are less advanced than V10s and that it's "not in F1's DNA to go back". V10s were terrific though.
Simon Emms
2025-03-02 11:58:57 +0000 UTCI'm an optimist. 2025 promises to be a great year on track. And coupled with the expected politicking, well, what else does a F1 fan need? Thanks for the video Jon.
Michael Holden
2025-03-02 11:04:36 +0000 UTCThank you. ๐ค For V10s!
Nick
2025-03-02 11:02:02 +0000 UTC
