5 changes to the 2018 Formula One Grand Prix season you should know about
McLaren and Honda have split, a new safety feature has been added to cars, and Malaysia has been dropped from the calendar
The break is over. Formula One drivers and fans around the world are set for the 2018 Grand Prix, which starts this Sunday in Melbourne, Australia.
The street circuit around Albert Park Lake is hard for drivers to show off all their prowess. There are things we should look out for in Melbourne and the rest of the season.
1. The divorce of McLaren and Honda
Last September, McLaren and its engine supplier, Honda, terminated their three-year collaboration because of poor performance. This season, each will try hard to show that the other was at fault. By partnering with Renault, McLaren got the third fastest record – with five breakdowns though – during the winter testing, as well as the pre-season testing in Barcelona, beaten by Ferrari and Mercedes. Toro Rosso, powered by Honda’s new 1.6 V6 engine, exceeded expectations with exceptional reliability.
Takeaway: Good luck to Fernando Alonso!
2. That ‘flip-flop’ thing on the cars
One of the key discussions within car circles is the new “Halo” feature on all cars. It’s a T-shaped cage made of titanium and carbon fibre right in the driver’s eye line. It is aimed at making the sport safer by deflecting and blocking flying objects.
In a sport where every gram counts, the mandatory 13.6kg (30-pound) protection device had been giving engineers lots of trouble. They had to rework the chassis and the entire set-up of the car.