The four-litre Renault V8 engine, which continues to be built under the supervision of Mecachrome, will now feature an upgrade, while the car will also run a new engine air duct, both designed to improve performance and fuel consumption. There are also internal upgrades to improve cooling, including a new water radiator, radiator duct and heat exchanger, while the 2006 gearbox, manufactured by GearTek, will feature a revised spec to, hopefully, eradicate the problems that blighted several teams last year.
The biggest alteration, however, will see the cars running on new
Bridgestone slicks, without the F1-style grooves seen in 2005. The new tyres, which are tipped to pre-empt the return of slicks to
F1 from 2007 or 2008, will be supplied in soft, medium and hard compounds, with the choice being pre-determined by Bridgestone and series organisers before each event. Wet tyres remain in 2005 specification.
The sporting regulations have also been changed to award the driver setting fastest lap in each race a single point, rather than the two points given last year. Additionally, the driver must have started from his prescribed grid position in order to claim fastest lap, effectively outlawing the practice of swapping a lowly grid position for a pit-lane start on low fuel in order to salvage a point.
Race weekend remain largely the same, with the exception of the stand-alone opener in Valencia - which reverts to Bahrain timetables - as GP2 again plays the chief supporting role to
Formula One. Although the loss of Spa has reduced the series by two races, there should be more than enough action on track to make up.
