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#3 REASON FOR CONCERN: OVERTAKING COULD BE HARDER
Fitted with oversized and sophisticated wings, 2017-spec F1 cars could struggle even more to follow each other closely. Any increase in downforce makes overtaking harder due to the dirtier wake coming from the car in front preventing the chaser to get close enough and try a move.
“The more aerodynamic performance you create, the more sensitive you are to the wake of the car in front,” Brawn added. “It's not always the case, because the aerodynamics can be profiled and shaped and managed to reduce that impact, but inherently that is the case. So I hope these regulations aren't going to impact the ability of these cars to race together.”
What’s more, 2017 F1 cars will be faster out of a corner but slower on a straight line so the speed differential will be lower. Theoretically, acceleration and braking phases should be shorter. Braking will be harder but quicker, which won’t foster overtaking at the end of a straight line. However, in a sequence of corners, the driver should brake longer in the second curve after approaching it faster.
Last but not least, wider cars could make overtaking all the more difficult at venues that are already tight and twisty, such as Monaco or the Hungaroring.
