F1 season 2009………..

Already 5 races into the season, 2009 has seen the most dramatic change in the fortunes of F1 teams. Front runners Ferrari and McLaren struggling with reliability issues and a car simply lacking the pace and the new kid on the block Brawn GP setting the tone to the season. This season so far has Ferrari putting up its worst ever performance since 1981, going without a point after four races. In fact, Ferrari seems to be finding it hard to even make both their cars cross the finish line, let alone finish in a point scoring position.
After Honda backed out midway from the season last year to create a Championship winning car, many wondered if that would be the end of the Honda era. But, as the Japanese are known for their grit and sheer hard work, Honda came back with a Bang in the form a complete new package with technical head and Master Strategist Ross Brawn at the forefront. This new Challenge to the defending champions from Surrey and the Scarlet Red Giants was christened Brawn GP.
Much has been talked about the rear diffuser that is being used by some the teams and much hue and cry has been made about it. So, what exactly is the rear diffuser issue and why is did the season start off with this being a controversy? As per the FIA’s change of to bring down the teams’ dependencies on extraneous items to generate down force, the dimensions of the diffuser have undergone a few changes and this has been interpreted differently by different teams. (this is mentioned in the detailed rules provided by the FIA). For example, the link below the shows the rear diffuser designed and being used by teams like McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and BMW Sauber

"http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2009/0/621.html"

And seen below the diffuser designed and used by the Williams, Brawn and Toyota.

"http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2009/0/623.html"

This clear difference in the height difference in the central section between the two designs and the second set of teams getting a performance advantage. However, the FIA has ruled this in favour of the Brawn and William’s, and so the design will remain.
The next major change in the FIA rules this year is the introduction of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). This is what summarized FIA rule states on the KERS “As its name implies, a KERS recovers the (normally wasted) kinetic energy generated by the car’s braking process. This energy is stored using a mechanical flywheel or an electrical battery and then made available to the driver, in set amounts per lap, via a ‘boost button’ on the steering wheel. Under the current regulations the power gain equates to around 80 horsepower, available for just less than seven seconds per lap. This could be worth several tenths of a second in terms of lap time, but the weight and packaging of the system - and its impact on the car’s weight distribution - also have to be taken into account”.
Of all the teams running season this year, only seven cars are equipped with KERS, The two Ferrari’s, both the McLaren’s, both Renault’s and Hieldfeld’s BMW. KERS till now seems to be a little of a headache to teams, considering the fact that there is an extra 25 kilos of weight that cars have to carry in terms of electronics and mechanical devices. IF used well, it could be a real boon to the teams during qualifying gaining as much as 20 m in a single burst on a straight line, that is, three grid places. Very Crucial indeed. But, will the additional weight be a deterrent on race day? Will the time and distance gained in one part of the circuit be compromised on other sections? This of course we will come to know only as the season progresses.
Will this season turn out to be a battle between the KERS equipped cars and those without it? Who will have the tactical and technical advantage? Well, this is for all of us to see as the races unfold. After five rounds, it seems the teams without the KERS and the double Decker rear diffuser have the edge. The sea of the technical changes by the FIA has the left Champions McLaren and their rivals Ferrari biting the dust behind the Brawns and Red Bulls.
The Season has finally entered Europe where Ferrari always surprises other teams with their strategy and overall package. Does Ferrari have another tick up its sleeve? that’s for all of us to see.

F1 Season 2009……… The underdogs are making their presence felt!!!!!!