Assessing the hybrid revolution - the mid-term tech report

For the 2014 season, Formula One racing undertook the most comprehensive regulation changes seen in the last three decades, with a move to more fuel efficient, hybrid turbocharged power units.
With 11 of the year's 19 Grands Prix complete, F1 technical expert Gary Anderson looks back on how these changes have played out so far - and looks ahead to what we can expect in the remaining races...
Chassis and aerodynamics
Here the regulation changes were aimed primarily at losing some of the downforce that the teams' engineers seem to find from nowhere year on year. This is important as it keeps a cap on performance and, more importantly, safety.
The most visible area of change resulting from this has been the nose, where the front-impact area at the nose's leading edge was lowered to reduce the risk of cars being lifted upwards when they make contact with a rotating wheel.

We have seen four different styles of nose: Mercedes and Ferrari with their low and wide solution; Red Bull and Marussia with their very neat designs featuring an impact pod hanging down underneath; Lotus with their twin tusks; and the most popular

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