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[TechniqueFreak]

People have talked about the introduction of KERS next year, but to my mind the biggest differences will come from the new regulations:

1. Allowing slicks
2. Reducing "top body" downforce (I believe by regs reducing the wing sizes and removing the "aero furniture")
3. Increasing "lower body" downforce (by allowing bigger rear diffusers) which is apparently less affected following another car
4. Allowing cars to have front wing flaps that can be activated by the driver for a limited amount of time per lap - again to help performance following other cars.

The idea of all of these is to increase overtaking, but I wonder what people think about how all this will actually affect the racing?

First, I think the cars will look a whole lot sexier with the slicks, the smoother body surfaces and the smaller wings (I always thought the cars looked great in Monza-type trim).

Second, I think we will be looking at some significantly quicker lap times - in fact I predict the current lap records (currently mostly set in 2004 with 3.0 litre V10s and softer tyres) will all be beaten next year. Every time the FIA have tried to reduce lap times by regs reducing the downforce its been clawed back by development, and next year that effect will be enhanced by the slicks, KERS, the bigger diffuser and potentially the front wing flaps.

Third, I hope it will allow more overtaking but I wonder. I expect the KERS and front wing flap use will just be optimised and used at pre-calculated points around the circuit that optimise the lap time, and a lot of that will equalize. My guess is there will be some more closer racing. At the moment if you're a few tenths quicker than the guy in front of you he can still keep you behind, and I think the changes will reduce the level of lap time margin a driver needs over someone in front to be able to overtake. But I don't think it will have as big an effect in this area as hoped - we certainly won't be back to the old slipstreaming days where its better to be second on the last lap.

Anyway, all in all I'm excited to see how it all pans out.

[Kiwi_Chris]

first i think the cars are gonna look like F1 cars again, im picking like the cars of the mid 90's before the bodywork got all swoopy.
The loss of downforce is gonna be great for racing, we should see cars tucked up under anothers rearwing down the straights trying to pass. The cars will be more on the edge and we could see some more ragged driving with the cars sliding around, especially toward the end of the tyres cycle before the pitstops.
09 hopefully will bring back some real racing and hopefully the size of your windtunnel will have less effect on the outcome of races

[McLaren Fan]

I agree with both of you. The FIA should really have clamped down on all of these aerodynamic devices a long time ago. That said, even in the 1980s and '90s, Formula One was not famous for its overtaking compared to other series, so I hope people are not getting their expectations up too much.

[f1maniac95]

I definately think that Slick tyres will improve racing along with the new aero regulations we look set for some very exciting racing.

[7UpJordan]

We'll see a lot more overtaking on some of the circuits with fast corners that rely on aero, allowing drivers to be in a better position to overtake on the following straight.

[al4x]

the slicks will provide the better drivers with more grip out of the slow corners,
less downforce will again benifit the better drivers who can keep it on the track around the more difficult corners,

and with the fewer aero appendages the cars will be better able to follow each other after getting round the corner,

the slip stream will actually be really useful again as it was before

HOPEFULLY this will allow the BETTER drivers be able to overtake

stress on hopefully