Formula 1 is about to have what may be the biggest revolution in its history in 2022, as the current set of rules will be completely thrown in the trash. New rules will see slower cars that are supposedly as fast as they are this year, that should be able to drive much, much better together. This set of rules was developed to ultimately bring the competition closer together so that the cars can follow much closer on the racetracks and offer a more exciting package overall. However, the sport is about to make a big mistake.
The sport is currently in the middle of one of the best title fights in years, with Red Bull and Max Verstappen clashing with Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. Alpine and McLaren have won victories this year, the latter also due to merit, and the field is much tighter than ever with Ferrari even taking part. So that begs the question. Is Formula 1 making a mistake with its latest rule revolution or is it still a legitimate appeal that focuses on the good of the sport and is a long-term benefit?
The case for the rules not changing
about the race
First of all, let’s take a look at why the rule change could be a mistake. This season is the closest the sport has seen in a number of years, possibly since 2012. Six different drivers from four different teams have won races, and other teams like Aston Martin and Alpha Tauri have also made the podium and achieved great results. Williams is on the march again, scoring points, and Ferrari came so close to winning the British Grand Prix, taking pole position in Monaco and Baku.
Likewise, the races themselves were pretty stellar for most of the year. There are clearly problems with these cars because the moment they clash within a second they struggle to follow each other. That absolutely has to change. But considering how close the field is now, after a few years of largely stable rules, apart from the 2019 front wing change, there is a risk that the sport will give another team an almighty advantage that will catapult itself to the top. But that can’t take very long.
The case for changing the rules
about autosport
There is no denying that something needs to be done to allow cars to follow more closely. The 2019 front wing change was designed to aid this, but when it did, the effect was incredibly small. The 2022 car takes most of the downforce from the top of the car and brings it to the bottom and bottom of the car. This is the return of the ground effect common in the 1980s and has been used successfully in IndyCar since 2018 with its universal aero kit.
Even if the field could split up again with this rule change, it will at least theoretically allow a much closer race than before, whereby the dirty air effect can be drastically reduced. While the cars lose about 47% of their downforce behind another car as they approach, the new car should only lose 4-18% when the cars get close together. And while a team might take advantage of this, hopefully the lack of any loopholes and more limited development should see the field close again very soon.
Long-term profits
via Motor Biscuit
This change is very much about the long-term future of the sport. Nobody wants a team to run away with the championship and have a big advantage. But is that so bad if it’s only short term? Not like Mercedes, who won seven titles in a row. The sport clearly wants to avoid that. Teams will inevitably be dominant at some point in this new era, and successive titles won’t go away. But the hope is that sooner rather than later the teams will come together again and the race will be better than ever. And the race, to be fair, can be very good now.
The best for sport
via Alpha Tauri
From what we’ve looked at, it would probably be correct to say that this decision to change the Formula 1 rulebook so dramatically is 100% the right decision for the future of the sport. Perhaps the biggest problem right now, while the simulations are good, is not knowing whether the rule change will work in practice. And whether this is the case cannot be determined until next year, when the cars take to the track. Pre-season tests may give us some clues, but the proof will be there for everyone next year in Bahrain. We can’t wait for that.
Sources: Formula 1, Autosport, Motor Biscuit, The Race, Alpha Tauri
Continue reading
About the author
Henry Kelsall
(1668 articles published)
Everything from JDM cars to classic jets is covered. Has worked at HotCars since autumn 2018. Writes features, news, and list articles.
More from Henry Kelsall
The post The dilemma surrounding the rule change in Formula 1 by 2022 first appeared on monter-une-startup.
