The Formula One world is bubbling with excitement at the moment as winter testing hots up and the Australian Grand Prix draws near. The first race of 2009 is now only 26 days away and the anticipation surrounding the season start is higher than usual thanks to the dramatic new regulations coming into force. The pecking order of Formula One may shortly be transformed because the wholesale changes introduced by the FIA mean that, in theory, anyone can win the opening Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The 2009 cars are brand new and are like nothing else to have been seen in Formula One before. This places a far greater emphasis on smart design over raw budget, so any team that isn’t painted red or silver will see the upcoming season as a huge opportunity. Everyone is having to build their cars from scratch this year which means everyone is starting from the same blank page.

The focus on innovation is even stronger in 2009 since all of the engines are now pretty much the same. Nobody stands to gain an advantage from an extra 50bhp so the playing field is as level as it has ever been in the sports history.

The 2009 rulebook not only wipes the slate clean to give everyone a fresh start, but it also throws some new variables into the mix that could shake up the established order.

The first of those new variables is KERS. Some teams will be using the hybrid technology in Melbourne, whilst most of the field will not. Depending on the performance advantage offered by the new system this could change the balance of power throughout the year.

It could also create an opportunity for drivers who don’t have the outright speed of a Hamilton or Raikkonen because they might be able to compensate somewhat by using their KERS boost wisely. The extra power available from KERS will apparently be most useful when it is used throughout the lap rather than in short bursts. However, this might not be the same for every circuit, or every racing scenario, so drivers will still have to make on the spot decisions about using the system.

Adjustable wings will also give the drivers something new to think about this year and it could give some of them a headache. You can only move the wing twice per lap so drivers that are able to pick the best time and place to make their adjustments will have a notable advantage.

We can surely expect a few surprises whilst the class of 2009 adapts to the new machinery.

Usually when the regulations are changed by the FIA there is a minimal effect on the driver’s job behind the wheel. That is not the case at all this year because the new rules are rewarding smart drivers as much as they are rewarding smart designers.

It all makes for a very exciting season ahead. Over time the teams with bigger budgets and resources will rise to the top as everyone learns about the new cars, but at the moment almost anyone could win the opening Grand Prix in Melbourne.

It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that rule changes have turned the sport on its head. Struggling teams have always had an opportunity to claw back the gap when radically different cars are brought into play

The first time that Formula One regulations were significantly transformed was in 1961. Up until that point the sport’s rules had remained fairly stable because the rate of development was slow and the era of innovation was yet to begin.

The FIA (then known as FISA) introduced a large number of changes for the 1961 season including a minimum weight, automatic starters, rollbars, pump fuel, a ban on compressors, and a number of other measures intended for safety.

The most significant part of the regulations was a 1.5 litre normally aspirated engine that revolutionised the formula.

The result of the changes was astonishing.

Cooper had easily won the 1960 title with the brilliant T53 chassis but the team was nowhere under the new formula and their lead driver, Jack Brabham, finished outside of the top ten in the championship.

This was partly because Cooper, like most of the teams, had not expected the new rules would be going ahead and were not fully prepared.

Ferrari, on the other hand, was always confident the regulations would be pushed through and their better organisation was more than evident. The 156 Sharknose design totally dominated the championship and won every race except for two. It even finished first, second, third and fourth at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The good results were all the more remarkable given that Ferrari had struggled hopelessly the year before. 1960 was a disaster for the team and yielded just a solitary win at Monza where all the British teams withdrew due to safety concerns.

Ferrari and Cooper had effectively switched places in just a few months thanks to the new regulations.

A similar shift of power also occurred more recently in 1998.

After the death of Ayrton Senna the FIA rushed through a raft of technical changes that were intended to reduce speeds and make the sport safer. Some of these changes were made within a week of Senna’s death, whilst others were made within twelve months. The final round of more substantial regulations was introduced in time for the 1998 season.

Essentially, the cars were made narrower and the tyres had grooves cut into them. The smaller chassis reduced the amount of exposed bodywork and therefore the amount of downforce that each car could generate, whilst the grooved tyres further reduced the amount of mechanical grip. The cars had to be completely redesigned.

McLaren took full advantage and came up with a package that was perfectly honed to the new regulations. It was a shock for Williams who had been the dominant team of the nineties and in 1998 they fell from grace with alarming speed.

At the first race in Melbourne both McLarens qualified a second ahead of the leading Williams. It was a massive turnaround given that both Williams had a 4 tenth advantage over the fastest McLaren at the end of 1997.

McLaren took full advantage of the opportunity presented by the new regulations, just like Ferrari did in 1961, and it will be interesting to see if anyone else can make a similar jump in performance this year. There are already a few teams that have good reason to be hopeful.

BMW could be in a position to fight for regular wins thanks to the progress they have made with KERS. Red Bull could also do the same with an innovative Adrian Newey design and the equalised Renault engine. Perhaps Toyota or Williams will seek an advantage early on with their unique diffusers.

Whilst the rules are brand new it is a long way from certain who is going to be fighting for a Grand Prix victories.

In 26 days we’ll have a much better idea.

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