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Every season of Formula One sees some tweaks to the rules, but in a few instances the changes have been so extreme they essentially transform the race series. This is one of those years.
The technical regs are vastly different for this season, driven by the twin aims of making the cars both safer and more fuel efficient. Briefly, there's a new nose, front wing, rear wing, engine, gearbox and revised energy recovery system.
The new engine formula ditches the 2.4 litre V8 used since 2006, replacing it with a 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engine limited to 15,000rpm. The engines now have to last twice as long -- 4000km compared to 2013's 2000km -- before they can be replaced.
The ratios in the gearbox are no longer allowed to be changed at every race, with the teams nominating their eight ratios for the entire season, with just one change allowed.
There are also new restrictions on fuel use, and there will be new driving styles to match -- and new strategies brought into play to win.
In this video, Red Bull's new Australian recruit Daniel Ricciardo and teammate Sebastian Vettel compare the new and old cars -- with the Aussie in the new one. And clever computer animation gives a great break-down of the new cars.
Watch the desktop version of the F1 in 2014 video here.
This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott
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