2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 overhead comparison
The changes for 2010 are perhaps most striking from overhead. As a result of the ban on refuelling, the fuel tank (4) will be longer and wider. The wheelbase is likely to be about 15 cm longer than in '09 to accommodate this larger tank (6), though teams could opt to move the driver forward slightly (3) or build shorter gearboxes (5) to minimise this increase. At the front, the narrower front tyres (2) will change the handling characteristics and weight distribution of the car, while the driver has control of the front wing flap angle (1) from the cockpit.
2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 side comparison
Although the refuelling ban for 2010 is a change to the sporting regulations, it has technical implications too. The fuel tank's capacity (2) has almost doubled from around 120 litres to at least 235 litres, while the car's minimum weight has been increased from 605kg to 620kg. To accommodate the larger tank, the car's wheelbase will likely be increased by around 15cm (3). Another 2010 change is that wheels covers (1) have been banned. This is primarily to avoid problems during pit stops which, with no refuelling, will be incredibly fast. It's been estimated that pit stop times will be cut to under four seconds.
2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 front comparison
From the front, the 2010 cars will look distinctly different to their '09 predecessors due to the narrower front tyres (1) and the wider rear bodywork needed to accommodate the larger fuel tank (2) required following the ban on refuelling. The slimmer front tyres - which address the imbalance of front and rear grip that resulted from the reintroduction of slicks last year - will widen the space between tyre and chassis, thus making this area even more important aerodynamically, so expect to see it featuring some interesting aero components.
2010 rule changes - accommodating larger fuel tanks
As a result of the ban on refuelling, 2010 cars will almost certainly have longer wheelbases as designers are forced to accommodate fuel tanks close to double the size of their predecessors'. One of the biggest engineering challenges will be to minimise this increase in wheelbase - and to minimise the impact of any increase. Moving the cockpit forward slightly and a shorter gearbox design are two possible options. A third could see teams harking back to a concept not seen on the grid in over a decade. In 1998 Stewart's Alan Jenkins and Arrows' John Barnard moved the oil tank from its then traditional position in the gearbox casing (left car, red arrow) to a new location immediately behind the cockpit (middle drawing, red arrow). This had the advantages of positioning the tank's weight near the car's centre of gravity, and reducing the car's overall weight thanks to the need for shorter piping. And that's where the oil tank has stayed, until now. Under the new rules, rather than housing the oil tank behind the newly-expanded fuel tank (which would mean increasing the wheelbase), we could see it once more shifted rearwards, where it can be housed with the gearbox without penalty.
