F1 cars will feature 1980-style ‘tea tray’ front wings in 2013, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

With KERS and adjustable rear wings to feature on the grid next season, and radical 4-cylinder turbo engines to debut in 2013, the report said the new front wings are the next significant change for formula one in two years.

To replace the big and wide front wings of today, the 2013 cars will reportedly generate the bulk of their downforce underneath the car, with the formula drawn up by veteran engineers Patrick Head and Rory Byrne.

The teams will receive the draft 2013 regulations – which will also see the cars wearing much smaller rear wings – this week before they are discussed in detail by the Technical Working Group in January.

“(In 2013) We are only going to have roughly 65 per cent of the amount of fuel and a (limited) fuel (flow) rate — that was a given,” Head, engineering boss and co-owner at Williams, confirmed.

“We were just told ‘That’s what it will be, you’ve got to come up with a car spec that is not going to be more than five seconds a lap slower than a current F1 car’.

“So some circuit simulation was done by Rory at Ferrari and when we’d come up with some numbers in terms of drag and downforce it was then to try to come up with a geometry of a car that could try to achieve that,” he added.

McLaren’s 2011 car will feature “quite a few” technical innovations, team boss Martin Whitmarsh has promised.

This season, the British team pioneered the F-duct innovation, but it – as well as double diffusers – has been banned for 2011.

Talking about next year, Whitmarsh told Auto Motor und Sport: “”We will definitely see new and surprising concepts such as the F-duct and double diffuser.

“We’ve got quite a few creative ideas already.  I hope it pays off.”

Bridgestone ready for Interlagos – The short but fast circuit with the winding inside the tires poses a special challenge
Interlagos is the penultimate disconnect for Bridgestone. For the route, which runs counter-clockwise to bring the Japanese with the mean and the super soft compound. The weather could also play a role, but the intermediates and the rain tires have recently done in South Korea a good job.

“Brazil is a beautiful country and South America is an important growth market. So it is important for Bridgestone to show presence in the form of the race,” said motorsport director Hiroshi Yasukawa. “. We have manufacturing facilities in Brazil and appreciate the support from our staff, we have worked in the past with many Brazilian drivers and enjoyed their feedback we are looking forward to the enthusiastic fans at the track.”
Interlagos is a short distance with a narrow core, but fast sections. The asphalt is very bumpy, leading to a compromise on the voting. “It is a beautiful but challenging course,” said Hirohide Hamashima, which is responsible for tire development. “Although it is the second shortest track on the calendar, it has an impressive line and exciting corners.”

“There are mainly medium-fast and slow corners. This means that the mechanical grip and stability are important on the rear axle. The weather can be a deciding factor because it can be very hot or very wet. To maximize performance, needs is a good balance through the turns before it goes uphill towards the finish. There is something reminiscent of an oval. ”
“The first corner is a good overtaking Elle, but you can barter for quick there a brake disks. Caution is called for,” says Hamashima. “In the last two races, we should show a strong performance, but mainly it comes to safe tires. Our engineers work closely with the teams so they can get the best.”

Williams has not denied reports it intends to sell its hydraulic systems and gearboxes to HRT in 2011.

The report emerged in Korea at the weekend, after the famous British team had in September admitted to receiving “enquiries” from other teams about its technical expertise.

“The status quo has not materially changed at the moment,” a spokesman told us on Monday.

“We have publicly confirmed that we are amenable to supply elements of our drivetrain technology to other teams, but as yet we have not reached hard agreement with any customers.

“Of course we will make an announcement – or announcements – if and when we enter into any supply agreements,” the Williams official added.

The design of Mercedes’ 2011 car is already in the wind tunnel and “more innovative” that its disappointing predecessor.

That is the claim of the German marque’s Norbert Haug, one day after team boss Ross Brawn admitted the W01 was designed too conservatively amid Brawn GP’s 2009 title challenge.

“The prototype of the new car is in the wind tunnel,” Haug told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. “It will be more innovative, the result of taking more risks.

“The development of the current car is finished, so our engineers have more time to perhaps pursue some ideas that initially might seen outlandish.

“At the same time, our competitors are designing their new cars for 2011 whilst still fighting hard for this world championship,” added Haug.

In the same interview, the German also scotched reports he is at loggerheads with Brawn.

Working in the same office as his British colleague in the team’s offices at Yeongam, Haug insisted: “Does it look as though we cannot work with one another?”

However, much more pressing is the speculation that – at the end of another disappointing season next year – the team’s parent Daimler might pull the plug.

“Absolutely not,” Haug insists. “We certainly do not intend to be in the midfield, but no one at Mercedes is talking about quitting.”

The struggling HRT team has emerged as a likely customer for technical support by Williams in 2011.

Last month it was reported that famous British team Williams could be set to supply its hydraulic systems and gearboxes to one or more of the sport’s small new teams.

In 2010, the standard Xtrac systems have proved outdated and unreliable, and Lotus broke ranks to arrange of a supply of Red Bull’s technology for 2011.

“We’ve had enquiries for our hydraulics and gearbox, we’re open to supplying it, but nothing has been agreed at this point,” a Williams spokesman told us in September.

The Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat believes Hispania Racing (HRT), the back-of-the-grid Spanish team, has been in talks with Williams about the systems.

The Red Bull team does not fear straight lines as much as it did earlier in 2010, according to a German media report.

After dominating on the slow, corner-dominated Hungaroring in August, the RB6 was subsequently beaten to the flag at Spa and Monza; circuits punctuated by long stretches of asphalt.

Then, before he dominated at Suzuka, Sebastian Vettel said the Japanese layout was “designed for” the Adrian Newey-penned car, even though the Renault engine was not expected to be strong on the front straight and the long run between Spoon and the chicane.

Team consultant Helmut Marko has been vocally worried about F1′s forthcoming trip to Korea, with the new layout featuring twistier sections separated by some very long straights.

After Mark Webber and the team pulled out leads in both world championships at Suzuka, the Austrian said “we need a cushion, especially for the next race”.

“One of the three long straights (in Korea) is 1.2 kilometres long,” Marko groaned.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, however, the RB6 is now performing better on the straights, thanks to the latest development of the car’s F-duct.

The report said Newey has essentially aped the Renault team’s F-duct solution, and as of Suzuka the RB6 is producing better straight line speed.

“We are no longer losing so much on the straights,” confirmed Vettel.

The availability of a ‘monsoon’-type rain tyre might avoid future cancellations of track sessions due to extreme weather.

That is the belief of Sam Michael, one of the millions of witnesses to the tedious spectacle of Saturday’s delayed and ultimately postponed qualifying hour at Suzuka.

The FIA refused to show the green light due to the torrential rain and feedback from the drivers about rivers of streaming water causing dangerous aquaplaning.

“You’d maybe only use them (monsoon tyres) once every three years, but at least you’d have something,” said Michael, technical director at the British team Williams.

He said the monsoon tyres would ideally have an extreme tread depth of more than 10mm, useful only for avoiding the sort of situation seen in Japan.

“It’s not good to go through an hour of television where everyone’s just watching people float little boats down the pitlane,” said the Australian.

“The cost of having a set of monsoon tyres for each car is pretty low compared to that.”

F1′s engine makers are banding together against the FIA’s plans to introduce a radically new engine formula in 2013.

It was previously believed the bulk of the teams backed the plans for turbocharged 1.6 litre 4-cylinder engines, in accordance with a ‘greener’ image.

But the sport’s engine makers Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Cosworth have now come to the conclusion that Jean Todt’s plans will cost EUR100 million to develop, and are lobbying to be able to base the new formula on the existing V8 engines.

Cosworth has reportedly warned that it can develop 4-cylinder engines for EUR20 million but that the costs must be passed on to its small customer teams.

So the engine maker group wants the plans to be delayed until 2015, according to a report in Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

They believe the FIA’s ambitions can be achieved with the current engines, such as by restricting fuel flow and developing the KERS regulations further.

They met after the Singapore race and agreed that efforts should be made to retain the basic V8 layout beyond 2012.

But also despite some F1 purists’ fears about the benign sound the smaller engines will make, FIA president Todt is reportedly adamant the new formula one will be imposed on time.

One marque happy with the FIA’s plans, including the possibility of the new engines being deployed outside of F1, is Porsche.

The German sports car maker’s research and development chief Wolfgang Durheimer said its interest in entering F1 is “based on the ‘world engine’”.

“Of course, the rules have to be right,” he added.

A major topic of conversation during a team bosses meeting in Singapore was the so-called Resource Restriction Agreement.

At the resolution of last year’s political crisis, and the signing of a new Concorde Agreement, the teams promised the FIA to reduce their spending to the levels seen in formula one in the early 90s.

The intention, championed by departed FIA president Max Mosley, was to make the sport much more affordable for private teams, like the 2010 newcomers Virgin, HRT and Lotus.

But despite receiving applications to fill the 13th team spot for 2011, the FIA ruled that none had the necessary financial resources, and there are signs that some of the sport’s existing teams are also struggling.

“Many of the technical changes that were brought in to reduce costs haven’t done so, and in many cases they have actually increased costs,” Lotus team boss Tony Fernandes told F1′s official website.

And according to Michael Schumacher, another cost-cutting measure – completely banning in-season testing – was also not well thought out.

“Efficient testing might be cheaper than now, when we build parts and then throw them away because we can’t test them and they didn’t work,” the Mercedes driver is quoted by Die Welt newspaper.

The seven time world champion also said the testing ban has led to the “very expensive” development of simulators.

Nick Wirth, the technical boss at struggling new team Virgin, said it was “really sad” that Mosley’s plan for team budget caps was scuppered.

“It was a huge mistake,” he is also quoted by the German publication.

Another consideration is the new engine formula, with 4-cylinder turbo units allied with sophisticated energy recovery systems touted for 2013.

But considerations about F1 becoming ‘green’ are arguably secondary to the independent teams, like Sauber, who can no longer count on the vast support of departed owner BMW.

“I think what’s important to us is obviously the costs being kept under control, because obviously changes cost money,” said the Hinwil based team’s technical boss James Key.

Even with greener and more road relevant engine rules on their way for formula one, BMW is not expected to return any time soon.

That is the view of Dr Mario Theissen, the German carmaker’s motor sport director and former BMW-Sauber team principal.

BMW pulled out of formula one at the end of last year, insisting that its focus will instead be directed towards “sustainability and environmental compatibility”.

In 2013, F1 will install a new engine formula, featuring small turbo 4-cylinder units with an emphasis on energy-recovery KERS technology.

But when asked by 422race.com if it will entice BMW back onto the grid, Theissen answered: “Don’t expect that.”

Instead, BMW is focusing on Le Mans-style sports car programmes and probably the German DTM series.

“When we pulled out, this was a decision for many years, because it takes many years to put something together like this,” added Theissen.

“And the main reason was that we wanted to focus on production car racing instead of formula car racing.”

Romain Grosjean has admitted he is hoping to be appointed the full-time replacement for departed Pirelli tyre tester Nick Heidfeld.

Heidfeld left the role after his third Pirelli tyre test at Jerez late last week because he is returning to the formula one grid with Sauber.

Former Renault racer and GP2 driver Grosjean, 24, will replace the Sauber-bound German when F1′s incoming official tyre supplier moves its 2011 programme to the Monza circuit this week.

But it has not been confirmed that the Swiss-born Frenchman will be staying in the role beyond his Italian outing.

“I am doing two days at Monza on Tuesday and Wednesday,” he told Auto Hebdo in a French-language interview.

“After this test the decision will be made about continuing together or not. I hope to be with the project until the end,” added Grosjean.

“I’m anxious to get behind the wheel of a formula one car again, especially as this Toyota was clearly one of the best cars at the end of last season.

“To be again accumulating kilometres in an F1 car is of course a good step towards returning to F1 soon,” he said.

Grosjean attended the Jerez test last week, before travelling to Toyota’s Cologne headquarters for a seat fitting.

“Nick told me the TF109 is very good and very neutral, which is the perfect way to test tyres,” he added.

Adrian Newey’s latest creation is capable of beating the formula one lap record at Suzuka by a staggering margin of 20 seconds.

Red Bull Technology’s top-secret X1 Prototype, tested around the Japanese circuit in virtual reality by Sebastian Vettel, was created for the new PlayStation game Gran Turismo 5.

Newey’s challenge was to create a virtual car for the game’s November release not bound by any set of regulations.

“We all have a dream about pushing the boundaries, where the performance of the car and the experience of the driver take precedence over the rules,” said Newey.

The Briton’s next creation will be the RB7, the successor of this year’s impressive 2010 F1 challenger.

“We have a few improvements in the pipeline (for the RB6) but I am personally focused about 70 per cent on the new car for 2011,” he is quoted by Auto Bild.

“There are some very innovative ideas,” announced Newey.

With the exception of his PlayStation creation, he insists his ideas are rule-confirmative, but some of his F1 rivals will suggest he flies too close into the grey areas.

“It’s part of the game,” said Newey, “and it’s been like that for the whole of my career.

“I see it as a compliment, because it is the best proof that my car is fast.”

The motors could play in the fight for the Formula 1 crown in 2010 still a crucial role. Especially those pilots who are pushed by a Ferrari engine in front, standing before the last five rounds of the season as not particularly good. This applies just Sauber Nick Heidfeld most returnees, as his predecessor Pedro de la Rosa had been in Belgium can be mounted engine, and receive the ninth for the punishment.

But even with the red from Maranello, there are worries. Fernando Alonso, who after his latest, Monza win again good cards in the title fight, had to leave Italy in his last fit of the allowed per season eight fresh engine. Although the Spaniard still used engines in the rear, for example, the race in Singapore should survive well, but an engine blowouts could end the dream of a world title soon.
Ferrari may get the receipt for the engine damage to the season. How ‘auto motor und sport’ reports, the Italians had to start to apparently serious problems with the seals on the valve train. A too aggressive lubricant developed to have caused the problems. Ferrari could repair despite frozen development, since the like is more niche occurred. The training on Friday engines currently have to persevere with the Reds longer distances than planned.
“Unfortunately we started the year with problems,” Ferrari president Luca Marmorini Motor says in an interview with ‘Motorsport-Total.com “. “If we had this year had 20 races, then it would be difficult for us. We can afford no problems at all during the season more,” said the Italian, the order makes it clear how close the Reds for the final sprint of the season to be charitable. In comparison, Renault have both drivers still two fresh engines in the rear.

“It’s funny. In the past two or three years, we always say that the engine development is frozen and will remain the same engines,” says LM. “But it’s only the hardware is frozen, change the environment on the other hand constantly. The engines have to endure nearly double the mileage. This year it is a very different use of the engines, because refueling was banned.”

The Italian expert engine already provides for the coming year bring up new dark clouds. “There are more races,” said Marmorini. “This is really funny: The engines are to remain the same, but the conditions are changing. This makes it difficult for us.” At Ferrari’s we are not sure if it was eight engines per season is the right number. And for the years from 2013 it gets even thicker.
When equipped in three years, the formula with a little turbo machines, then the term should be again raised considerably – for cost reasons, as they say. “Originally, there should be four engines per year, but in the first five years of the new regulations,” said LM, which urgently needs an adoption of the new engine regulations. “This is an enormous step. To develop reliability is extremely difficult and expensive.”

“One should not underestimate the real”, said the Italian, who – as is probably many at Ferrari – not a big fan of small four-cylinder turbos. “Even if we had hinbekommen the new term with us for years known motors, then the effort would be substantial. This issue is particularly important and should be addressed quickly.” As a solution might look like, leaves Marmorini. The number of four or five engines per year, but seems far from set in stone to be.

Lotus will not be powered by Cosworth in 2011, the British independent engine maker has announced.

After the Italian grand prix at Monza, team owner and boss Tony Fernandes hinted strongly that a deal had been struck to end Lotus’ existing engine deal so that the cars could be powered by Renault V8s next year.

Cosworth confirmed that an agreement to end its collaboration with Lotus has been reached “in principle”.

“This agreement is subject to contract and until the agreement is signed, neither party will be making any further comment,” the statement added.

German reports on Sunday quoted Cosworth’s managing director Tim Routsis as saying the marque would like to sign another customer team for 2011.