Turbocharged engines and a fuel flow metre are on the edge of being adopted for 2013 in the sport, it emerged over the weekend.
A number of Working Groups, the bodies charged with overseeing technical and regulation changes, have recommended that F1 engines be downsized and turbocharged, amongst other changes.
Those other changes include modifying wing size to improve overtaking and introducing a fuel regulator to decrease the sport’s environmental impact.
Williams technical director Sam Michael told Autosport: “Rather than dump as much fuel in as we can at the moment, there will be a fuel flow metre – so you won’t be able to blow more than a certain amount of fuel. It is a good chunk less than we had at the moment.”
Michael also noted that the concept of ‘ground effect’, pioneered by Colin Chapman in the early 1980s, could stage a comeback.
“They are talking about putting a greater proportion of down force to the diffuser, a ground effect car – like the early 1980’s,” added Michael. “They have been looking at that, as well as increasing crash protection at the front of the car by moving the sidepods further forwards.”
