Weight Balance
Weight Balance is also a F1 specific tuning option and works hand in hand with the ballast. But the best current F1 designs with their special materials like titanium, carbon and magnesium may leave a car weighing something like 450kg. These days, the 450kg may be made up of a 90kg engine, a 50kg monocoque, a 40kg gearbox and the same weight for the four wheels, an 11kg rear wing and so on, with the average driver contributing about 70kg. And a modern F1 clutch turns the scale at around 900 grams. That's a long way below a classic from the past, like the Mercedes-Benz W196 which Fangio drove to win the championship 50 years ago. It was something like half as heavy again.
It's the business of adding weight to bring the car back up to the minimum allowed of 605 Kg by applying very expensive ballast (tungsten plates) in precise though hidden places, usually but not exclusively on the underside of the monocoque. In a complete season, a team may use ten sets of these plates, at a cost over the year of something like a half of a million dollar.
After adding Ballast to the car, you are able to adjust the weight balance of the car. You can have either more weight in the front or the rear depending on how the car is behaving. The minimum weight permissible from 2011 is 640 kg, including the driver, fluids and on-board cameras. The advantage of using ballast is that it can be placed anywhere in the car to provide ideal weight distribution.
If you find the car oversteering, you could adjust the weight balance towards the rear, giving you more weight and grip in the rear. Likewise, if the car is understeering, move more weight balance towards the front.
Mandated weight distribution ruled for 2011 only
Along with the supply of Pirelli tires they will be matched to a mandatory weight distribution. Now the cars minimum weight is 640Kg, the specified minimum axle weights, equate to a weight distribution ranging between 45.5-46.7% on the front axle and 53.3-54.5 on the rear. This is a few percent behind the typical 2010 loadings.
“4.2 Weight distribution :
For 2011 only, the weight applied on the front and rear wheels must not be less than 291kg and 342kg respectively at all times during the qualifying practice session.
If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tires, it will be weighed on a set of dry-weather tires selected by the FIA technical delegate.”
ARTICLE 4 : WEIGHT
4.1 Minimum weight :
The weight of the car must not be less than 640kg at all times during the Event.
If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tires, it will be weighed on a set of dryweather tires selected by the FIA technical delegate.
4.2 Weight distribution :
For 2011 only, the weight applied on the front and rear wheels must not be less than 291kg and 342kg respectively at all times during the qualifying practice session. If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tires, it will be weighed on a set of dry-weather tires selected by the FIA technical delegate.
4.3 Weight of tires :
The weight limits specified in Articles 4.1 and 4.2 will be adjusted according to any differences (rounded up to the nearest 1kg) between the total set and individual axle set weights respectively of the 2010 and 2011 dry-weather tires.
4.4 Ballast :
Ballast can be used provided it is secured in such a way that tools are required for its removal. It must be possible to fix seals if deemed necessary by the FIA technical delegate.
4.5 Adding during the race :
With the exception of compressed gases, no substance may be added to the car during the race. If it becomes necessary to replace any part of the car during the race, the new part must not weigh any more than the original part.
