McLaren's technical director, Tim Goss, says the revision have had a dramatic effect on the appearance of the machines. He went on to say, “These 2017 cars are lower and squatter; they just look meaner. The lower rear wing, big fat tyres and big diffuser look cool - they look mean."
Improving the performance and the overall look & feel of the vehicles was the primary focus for the changes. F1 hopes the new "meaner" look and the speed bump will attract new fans to the sport.
It remains to be seen how the drivers react to the overhauled vehicles during the season. Lewis Hamilton, the 2008, 2014 and 2015 Formula One World Champion, told reports that the new vehicles take a toll on the body after completing preliminary testing, "It doesn't matter how fit you are or how hard you train, that car beats the crap out of you." Early simulations suggest the cars may be up to 40 km/h faster and the G-force in the corners could be over 5G.
You can see the new vehicles in action when the 2017 F1 Season begins on the 26th of March when F1 makes a stop in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. ■
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NEW OWNERSHIP
he new vehicles and regulation changes also come with brand new ownership after Liberty Media officially acquired Formula 1 during the offseason.
The American media conglomerate looks to expand the sport to the North American market where they're hoping to attract fans and drivers to the sport. The American motorsport market is dominated by NASCAR and Indy Car Racing, but F1 has had difficulty competing.
There are currently no American drivers on the F1 teams and the last American F1 champion was Mario Andretti in 1978. ■
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