Love it or hate it, Formula One is the top dog in motorsports. With an improving economy, F1 is changing up its rules to ­include some technologies that are already in your bays, or coming very soon. For 2014, the cars are, for a lack of a ­better term, hybrids. 

 

F1 has reduced the fuel capacity by 40 kilograms to 100 ­kilograms this year and has specified a maximum flow rate of 100 kilograms per hour. Engine capacities have been reduced to 1.6 liters and turbochargers are allowed. They are able to do this by incorporating technologies like direct injection and better combustion chamber designs.  

 

But the most interesting rule change is the refinement of energy recovery systems (ERS). These systems use the energy recovered under braking or the heat from the turbocharger for a boost when requested by the driver. 

 

The energy recovery device on the turbocharger can also control the turbocharger’s speed to prevent turbo lag. All the cars this year are also brake-by-wire so that the ERS can recover the most energy. Drivers can only use the boost for a limited amount of time during a lap. 

 

Some ERS systems will no-doubt be better than others. This should make for some interesting race strategies when you also factor in fuel strategies and driving styles.