New Rules for the F1 2021 Season

A new F1 season has arrived, and it’s all kicking off in Bahrain! In case you forgot, this is the track that brought us two back-to-back races in last year’s calendar, with one of them involving a harrowing incident where Romain Grosjean’s car split into two and caught into flames. After Grosjean escaped, the race restarted, and normal service resumed; another Lewis Hamilton win!

What Can We Expect From F1 in 2021?

A new F1 season is always exciting, with so many unanswered questions. For those of you who are passionate about innovative motorsport technologies, you’ll be excited to see what the cars have under the bonnet.

Every year, new motorsport technology rules are implemented, driving vehicle changes that can shake up the order at the front. In these unprecedented times, teams are carrying over the car that they used in the 2020 season. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t new rules!

New Floor Rules

There are new floor rules due to the ever-increasing downforce teams are delivering, which is damaging the tyres more than ever before.

The initial plan was to create a diagonal cut in the floor in front of the rear tyre, which would inhibit the teams’ ability to manipulate the airflow by introducing holes, slots, and shaped aerodynamic furniture in this part of the floor. However, it soon became evident this would not be enough.

Consequently, further rules were put in place to stop designers from inputting any fully enclosed holes in the entire rear floor section, as there were concerns performance could be found in this area.

Bye, Bye DAS

It caused a lot of intrigue at the start of last season, but Mercedes innovative Dual-Axis Steering (DAS) system did not last long. We won’t be seeing it this year!

Mercedes always seem to be at the forefront of the sport when it comes to exciting new technologies, though, so it will be interesting to see what they bring to the table this year. If this is something you’d like to be involved in, completing a motorsport technology degree in our industry standard, purpose built facilities is the best way to get your foot on the ladder.

New Permitted Materials

An interesting new inclusion is under the permitted materials section, with natural fibres now being allowed, such as bamboo, cotton, linen, hemp, and flex.
Not only would these materials considerably lower the environmental impact of F1, but they could help to reduce the risk of sharp debris shards that are left behind as a consequence of carbon fibre.

This could very much be a nod toward the future of F1, and this is something you could become involved in by doing a Bachelors in Motorsport Technology at the University of Bolton. Check out our Motorsport and Automotive Performance Engineering courses to find out more.

Who Is the Real Hero: The Driver or the Car?

This is a question that is often debated in F1, isn’t it? Is it all about the driver, or does the person with the fastest car always win? Well, we’d argue that it’s a team sport, and so it’s about the team! Yes, the driver, but also those responsible for building the car, the radio engineer, the people who bring in funding, and so on. Hundreds of people work in F1, and they all play a critical role. Taking a Motorsport technology degree can help you to be a part of this.

Have You Picked Your F1 Fantasy Team Yet?

Don’t forget to pick your F1 fantasy team! You could win paddock passes for a Grand Prix in 2022. You get the chance to pick three teams, consisting of five drivers, and you can pick your constructor too. You get points for many different things, such as outscoring your teammate, so make sure you choose wisely! We’d recommend Pierre Gasly and Kimi Raikkonen for value picks, as both are likely to be no.1 in their respective teams.

If you’re interested in innovative motorsport technologies, the University of Bolton enables you to get the skills you need to carve a career for yourself in this fascinating and fast-paced industry. A Bachelors in Motorsport Technology enables you to learn all about performance engineering, with real-world experience at the core of your studies.

Our BSc (Hons) Motorsport Technology is fully accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE), and is ideal if you wish to be a part of the high-octane motorsport industry. You’ll get lecturers who share your passion, the possibility of workshop and trackside experience with global racing teams, and purpose-built facilities. There is a reason why we are the only National Centre for Motorsport Engineering in the UK!

If you would like to find out more, check out our Motorsport and Automotive Performance Engineering courses, or call us on +44 (0)1204 900 600 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk for more information.