Questions Going Into The 2009 Formula One Season

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

With winter testing over and the teams on the way to Melbourne for the start of the 2009 Formula One World Championship, we're going to get some answers to those pre-season questions, though some won't be answered until the seasons end.

McLaren's “Performance Shortfall”, genuine or sandbagging?

Initially winter testing was looking promising for McLaren when they were running their 2009 spec car, albeit with the 2008 rear wing. However when they took their completed 2009 car, the MP4-24 to the test in Barcelona, they not only found themselves at the bottom of the time sheets, but with some reliability issues as well.

Bernie has suggested that McLaren might have been sandbagging, as he was quoted as saying to one news paper: "Let's put it this way, there's been no need for them (McLaren) to show that they're quick." Though McLaren's new team principal Martin Whitmarsh has stated that there is a "performance shortfall" with the MP4-24.

The final test at Jerez showed some progress had been made on their lack of pace, but we won't really know how bad it is for McLaren until the chequered flag comes out on Sunday at Melbourne.

If Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton are really part of the midfield battle, it could take awhile before they're challenging for race wins again, and as there is a ban on in season testing it will make it hard to catch the front runners. They will have to sacrifice some of Fridays practice time to car development, rather than car set-up for the race weekend.

Diffuser row, legal or illegal?

The season hasn't even started yet and already there has been a lot of controversial issues. But one of the most serious and one that threatens to over shadow the season opener, is the row of the legality of the rear diffusers used by Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota.

The other seven teams are set to lodge an appeal with the FIA over the design of the rear diffuser used by the three named rival teams. The complaint is that they believe their diffusers are larger than allowed under regulation 2.4 in the rule book.

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner confirmed that they would make a formal protest once he has held talks with the race stewards, if he did not get clarification on the matter.

If the stewards allow Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams to race with their current diffusers, then a protest will be lodged against one or more of the three diffuser designs by the other seven teams. Any points collected by those three teams would effectively be provisional, until a definitive ruling is decided.

Overtaking, will the raft of new technical changes make a difference?

After 10 seasons on grooved tyres, F1 returns to slicks in 2009, as part of moves to increase the emphasis on mechanical rather than aerodynamic grip. The overall effect should be reduced performance through high-speed corners.

Aerodynamic changes will reduce the ability to generate downforce and hopefully increase overtaking, as the car following should now be less susceptible to turbulence.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?