What’S New About The R31?

1 No double-decker diffusers

The FIA have clamped down on the rules governing the floors to prevent the use of

double-decker diffusers this year.

2 Longer wheelbase

Compared to its predecessor, the R31 has a longer wheelbase to help accommodate

the reintroduction of KERS.

3 Fixed front wing

The front wing flap can no longer be adjusted by the driver from the cockpit and

remains at a fixed angle while the car is on track.

4 Adjustable rear wing

2011 sees the arrival of adjustable rear wings, controlled by the driver from the

cockpit to aid overtaking. The rules allow the flap to rotate away from the main plane

up to a maximum distance of 50mm.

5 Pull rod suspension

There is a significant revision to the rear suspension, switching from a push rod

system to pull rod operated torsion springs. This allowed the team to make better use

of the new diffuser rules.

6 Pirelli tyres

The departure of Bridgestone after 14 seasons ushers in a new era as Pirelli takes on

the mantle of sole tyre supplier for the next three years.

7 Smaller engine cover

The R31 has a smaller engine cover and no shark fin due to new rules preventing

bodywork connecting to the rear wing.

8 KERS returns

KERS is back for 2011 as a cost-effective hybrid power tool recovering energy

normally lost under braking and reusing it as an additional power boost to the car.

9 No f-duct

The major technical innovation of 2010 is no more, since the regulations prohibit any

system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the

aerodynamic characteristics.

10 New steering wheel

The R31 features a new steering wheel with a revised button layout to make it easier

for the drivers to operate the multiple functions.

11 Mandated weight distribution

All the teams have agreed to run their cars in a particular weight distribution range.

That means between 45.5 and 46.5% of the car's weight must be over the front axle.

12 Improved safety

Each wheel must now be retained by two tethers (previously there was just one),

which must pass down separate legs of the suspension to give more redundancy to

the wheel retention. In addition, the zylon panels, attached to the chassis to protect

the driver's upper body, have been extended to offer protection to his legs.

The R31 in 31 numbers

0 The time taken in seconds for the gearbox of the R31 to change gear (drive is never

lost during the gearshift).

0.1 How much faster in seconds the R31 goes each lap due to the reducing weight as the

car burns fuel (not accounting for tyre degradation).

1.6 The time in seconds for the R31 to decelerate from 100 km/h to standstill.

3.0 The average time for the pit crew to change all four wheels and tyres at a pitstop.

4.9 How many seconds it takes for the R31 to reach 200 km/h from standstill.

5 The number of consecutive races each gearbox must survive before it can be

changed without suffering a five-place grid penalty.

6 This is how many hours it takes for a complete rebuild of the car at the track with 12

mechanics (assuming sub-assembly is already complete). From scratch at the factory

it would take 150 people seven days.

6.67 The number of seconds per lap that the KERS electric motor can be activated at full

power.

7 The number of gears in the R31's gearbox.

8 That's how many engines are allocated to each driver in 2011.

10 The weight of a Pirelli front tyre in kilograms.

18.5 In psi, this is the average pressure for an F1 tyre.

30 The weight of a driver's head and helmet in kilograms during maximum braking of

4.5G (that's the same as a heavy suitcase).

42 The number of revolutions per second by a tyre when the R31 is travelling at 300

km/h.

60 The amount of water dispersed in litres per second by a wet Pirelli tyre travelling at

300 km/h.

87.75 The impact energy in kilojoules that must be withstood by the nose of the car when it

is crash tested by the FIA. This is the same amount of energy as would be required to

stop a 4 tonne elephant moving towards you at 25km/h.

90 This is the operating temperature in degrees Celsius of each Pirelli tyre.

130 Measured in decibels, this is how loud the RS27-2011 engine is at full revs.

400 The amount of braking energy in kilojoules that the KERS generator can place into

the KERS battery in a single lap.

500 This is the temperature in degrees Celsius achieved by the clutch during a race.

640 Increased for this year by 20 kilograms, this is the minimum weight of the car.

900 This is the temperature in degrees Celsius of the exhaust gases when the car is on

full throttle.

1,100 In degrees Celsius, this is the temperature a brake disc can reach during the race.

1,500 This is the total number of moving parts in each RS27-2011 V8 engine.

2,500 That's how many gear changes the drivers have to make during an average Grand

Prix.