Lotus planning ahead for the 2014 F1 season – Formula 1 news
Eric Boullier, the team principal for Lotus F1, has stated that the team is planning ahead for the rule changes in 2014 F1season by balancing work and resources between 2013 and 2014.
“We obviously don't want to push too far to hurt ourselves with the big project for 2014,” Boullier told Autosport. “The boys here in Enstone have managed some work already on 2014, and I hope that what we saved already from 2012 has given us more flexibility
for 2013. We have to be realistic. This is the end of a chapter of rules, and in 2014 there will be a new chapter. We cannot afford to start far from the others with these new regulations.”
The 2013 F1 season will be the last season before some major technical rules and regulations are introduced in 2014. All the F1 teams have been planning to balance the development of their car so that they can perform in 2013 as well as be able to produce
a competitive car for 2014.
The cars for 2013 will not be consisting of any major changes and will be just an advancement of the ones teams used during the 2012 F1 season.
However, the cars will go under a major change in 2014 as the FIA, the governing body for F1, has planned to replace the current V8 engines with turbocharged V6 engines which are expected to be more environmental friendly and fuel saving. Following the engine
change, the minimum weight limit for the cars has also been increased.
The Italian team Ferrari, who were the championship contenders this past season, have already admitted they will be splitting the car development as they have got one engineer working on the 2013 car and the other on the 2014 car.
F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, has spoken against this change stating that these new engines will destroy the excitement of the sport since they do not have the same sound.
Even though there are no significant car changes in 2013 but a few new technical changes have been introduced such as the DRS has now been limited to the DRS zones during the qualifiers and the practice sessions. Curfew exceptions within a season have also
been decreased.
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