After the fallout between parent team
Red Bull and engine supplier
Renault in
2015,
Toro Rosso will return to using Renault power in 2016 after the relationship between Red Bull and Renault was renewed[4].
Sauber will use one year-old
Ferrari power units, mirroring the arrangement between Ferrari and Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2016[33].
The parent company of
MRT went into
administration in January 2017.[39] The administrators failed to find a buyer and the company collapsed later that same month,[40][41] ultimately closing down entirely in March.[42]
Driver Changes
Kevin Magnussen turned down an offer to stay with Renault and instead signed a deal with
Haas to drive alongside
Romain Grosjean.[43][44] As a result of the agreement with Magnussen and the team's decision to take up an option on Grosjean,
Esteban Gutiérrez's contract with the team was not renewed.[45] Gutiérrez later moved to the
Formula E championship.[46]
Pascal Wehrlein, who drove for
MRT in 2016, moved to
Sauber for the 2017 season where he replaced
Felipe Nasr.[57] Having been released by the team, Nasr was unable to secure a seat. At the
Australian Grand Prix, Wehrlein complained of being unfit for the race and subsequently withdrew after a previous accident at the Race of Champions. Ferrari third driver,
Antonio Giovinazzi subsequently took his place, as he did for the first pre season test[36].
Regulation Changes
Technical Changes
The technical regulations governing bodywork design will be revised with the objective of improving lap times by four to five seconds over the
2016 generation of cars.[58] These changes will include:[59]
The width of the front wing will increase to 1,800 mm (70.9 in).
The rear wing will be lowered by 150 mm (5.9 in) and its position moved back by 200 mm (7.9 in).
The leading edge of the barge boards will be brought forward to allow teams more freedom in controlling airflow.
The width of the front and rear tyres will be increased to allow cars to generate more mechanical grip.
The minimum weight of the car plus the driver will increase, with teams allowed to use 105 kg of fuel to account for the increase in minimum weight.
The token system used to regulate power unit development—where the power unit was divided into individual areas, and each area assigned a points value with development of these areas deducting points from a manufacturer's overall points quota—will be abandoned.[60]
Restrictions will be placed on the dimensions, weight and the materials used to build each individual component of the power unit.[61]
The cost of a power unit supply will be reduced by €1 million in 2017 ahead of a further reduction in 2018.[61]
Cameras will no longer be permitted to be mounted on stalks, located on the nose of the car.[62]
Sporting Changes
Power unit suppliers will have an "obligation to supply", mandating that they supply power units to any team without an agreement.[60] The rule was introduced following the breakdown in the relationship between
Red Bull Racing, sister team
Scuderia Toro Rosso and power unit supplier
Renault at the end of the
2015 season that left both teams in limbo until deals could be arranged.
In November 2015, it was announced that the
Nürburgring planned to host the
German Grand Prix after previously pulling out from hosting the event in
2015 after talks broke down between
Bernie Ecclestone and the circuit's bosses[86].
However, at the
2016 Italian Grand Prix, it was announced that
Monza had agreed a three year agreed, after financial agreement was reached after two years of discussions. However, the deal wasn't completed then, due to deals been reached for
Imola to host a Grand Prix in 2017[76]. Apart from in
1980, Monza has hosted the
Italian Grand Prix since
1949, after first hosting it in
1922.
Notes
^In the latter half of 2016, Red Bull confirmed both Red Bull and Toro Rosso will be using Renault power fro 2017[4]. It was also announced that Red Bull will continue to rebrand the engines as TAG Heuer for 2017[5]
^In the latter half of 2016, Red Bull confirmed both Red Bull and Toro Rosso will be using Renault power from 2017[4]. However, it's was unknown if the engines of Toro Rosso will be branded like their parent team's TAG Heuer engines, but was later confirmed this wouldn't be happening.
^The FIA gave permission for Sauber to 2016 engine.
After the fallout between parent team
Red Bull and engine supplier
Renault in
2015,
Toro Rosso will return to using Renault power in 2016 after the relationship between Red Bull and Renault was renewed[4].
Sauber will use one year-old
Ferrari power units, mirroring the arrangement between Ferrari and Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2016[33].
The parent company of
MRT went into
administration in January 2017.[39] The administrators failed to find a buyer and the company collapsed later that same month,[40][41] ultimately closing down entirely in March.[42]
Driver Changes
Kevin Magnussen turned down an offer to stay with Renault and instead signed a deal with
Haas to drive alongside
Romain Grosjean.[43][44] As a result of the agreement with Magnussen and the team's decision to take up an option on Grosjean,
Esteban Gutiérrez's contract with the team was not renewed.[45] Gutiérrez later moved to the
Formula E championship.[46]
Pascal Wehrlein, who drove for
MRT in 2016, moved to
Sauber for the 2017 season where he replaced
Felipe Nasr.[57] Having been released by the team, Nasr was unable to secure a seat. At the
Australian Grand Prix, Wehrlein complained of being unfit for the race and subsequently withdrew after a previous accident at the Race of Champions. Ferrari third driver,
Antonio Giovinazzi subsequently took his place, as he did for the first pre season test[36].
Regulation Changes
Technical Changes
The technical regulations governing bodywork design will be revised with the objective of improving lap times by four to five seconds over the
2016 generation of cars.[58] These changes will include:[59]
The width of the front wing will increase to 1,800 mm (70.9 in).
The rear wing will be lowered by 150 mm (5.9 in) and its position moved back by 200 mm (7.9 in).
The leading edge of the barge boards will be brought forward to allow teams more freedom in controlling airflow.
The width of the front and rear tyres will be increased to allow cars to generate more mechanical grip.
The minimum weight of the car plus the driver will increase, with teams allowed to use 105 kg of fuel to account for the increase in minimum weight.
The token system used to regulate power unit development—where the power unit was divided into individual areas, and each area assigned a points value with development of these areas deducting points from a manufacturer's overall points quota—will be abandoned.[60]
Restrictions will be placed on the dimensions, weight and the materials used to build each individual component of the power unit.[61]
The cost of a power unit supply will be reduced by €1 million in 2017 ahead of a further reduction in 2018.[61]
Cameras will no longer be permitted to be mounted on stalks, located on the nose of the car.[62]
Sporting Changes
Power unit suppliers will have an "obligation to supply", mandating that they supply power units to any team without an agreement.[60] The rule was introduced following the breakdown in the relationship between
Red Bull Racing, sister team
Scuderia Toro Rosso and power unit supplier
Renault at the end of the
2015 season that left both teams in limbo until deals could be arranged.
In November 2015, it was announced that the
Nürburgring planned to host the
German Grand Prix after previously pulling out from hosting the event in
2015 after talks broke down between
Bernie Ecclestone and the circuit's bosses[86].
However, at the
2016 Italian Grand Prix, it was announced that
Monza had agreed a three year agreed, after financial agreement was reached after two years of discussions. However, the deal wasn't completed then, due to deals been reached for
Imola to host a Grand Prix in 2017[76]. Apart from in
1980, Monza has hosted the
Italian Grand Prix since
1949, after first hosting it in
1922.
Notes
^In the latter half of 2016, Red Bull confirmed both Red Bull and Toro Rosso will be using Renault power fro 2017[4]. It was also announced that Red Bull will continue to rebrand the engines as TAG Heuer for 2017[5]
^In the latter half of 2016, Red Bull confirmed both Red Bull and Toro Rosso will be using Renault power from 2017[4]. However, it's was unknown if the engines of Toro Rosso will be branded like their parent team's TAG Heuer engines, but was later confirmed this wouldn't be happening.
^The FIA gave permission for Sauber to 2016 engine.