Formula One faces its biggest change in decades

Formula One starts a new season in Bahrain on Sunday with the biggest technical rule change in decades leaving plenty of questions to be answered.

The cars, heavier and with bigger wheels, look very different to last year's models thanks to an overhaul aimed at making overtaking easier and the racing more competitive and exciting.

There is plenty of debate already about the spirit of the rules, to what extent the changes will be successful, how teams have read them and whether some have pushed boundaries too far.

"This is by far the biggest change in regulation I think the sport has ever seen," commented Aston Martin technical head Andrew Green. "My career goes back to 1991 and it trumps anything from 1991.

"I think it trumps everything as far as F1 is concerned," he added.

"It’s a completely new concept, a completely different way of approaching a regulation. It’s been a massive challenge. It’s been exciting for sure."

Formula One's managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn, another veteran whose career dates back to the 1970s and who has run teams and also served as a Ferrari technical director, hailed a real break with the past.

He said the aim was "to get a closer competition going on for the future while still leaving it a meritocracy.

"I think there’ll be a bit of disparity at the beginning but I’m confident these rules and this regime and this culture will lead to much better racing."

WHEEL SIZE

The most obvious changes are the increase in wheel size from 13 to 18 inches, with low profile Pirelli tyres, and new look front and rear wings designed to reduce the aerodynamic turbulence for cars following behind.

There are fairings on the front wheels and radically different interpretations of the sidepods, which are almost