Formula One's new-look cars for 2017 are expected to be as much as five seconds per lap faster, according to early simulations.
On Friday the FIA's World Motor Sport Council ratified F1's decision to push ahead with the new look cars for 2017 and allowed the deadline on the final regulations to be extended to April 30 without the need for unanimous approval.
The new rules will see the cars become wider, with wider tyres and wider wings aimed at bringing more performance and extra excitement for fans. They are based on a plan submitted by McLaren as a compromise after a Red Bull proposal for more downforce was deemed too extreme for tyre manufacturer Pirelli to cope with. It was thought the McLaren proposal would see lap times decrease by three seconds, but an FIA press release said early simulations hint at even more performance.
"The World Motor Sport Council approved the 2017 bodywork regulations proposed by the F1 Commission, and noted that early simulations have indicated an improvement in lap times by approximately 4-5 seconds on most circuits."
The FIA's communication also confirmed changes to the qualifying regulations for this season and an effort to finalise a plan by April 30 to make F1's power unit's cheaper, more widely available to rival teams, closer in performance and louder. The exact wording of the new qualifying system will be submitted to the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission in time for implementation at the first race in two weeks.