Media post: Why Are the 2022 Formula 1 Cars Causing Such a Stir?
Motorsports fans are tingling with excitement about the return of Formula 1 for the 2022 season. The Bahrain Grand Prix kicks things off on March 20, and F1 fans get to see the revamped cars in competition for the first time. Race fans saw the new-look cars in action during pre-season testing earlier this month, but the Bahrain Grand Prix Grand Prix is when they get to see those cars going hell for leather at a track where Red Bull achieved speeds of 202.69 mph during testing.
F1’s governing body, the FIA, changes rules and regulations each year. It does this to improve the safety of the drivers and to make the sport more competitive. Seemingly minor tweaks here and there make an enormous difference to these highly tuned vehicles, where a tenth of a second is often the difference between winning or losing a highly charged race. Of course, some improvements made to the race cars filter down to the manufacturer’s road cars, including Mercedes and Honda.
The changes this year are the biggest year-on-year advancement for 40-years, according to the aerodynamicist. The cars do not look massively different from those raced during 2021, but looking closer reveals almost every part of the car has changed. It is almost like the manufacturers ripped up the rule book and started again from scratch. Whichever team gets their car right stands the being favourites in the latest Formula 1 betting markets online and marching onto glory in the Driver’s Championship and Constructors Championship. Get it wrong and the team will struggle to make it onto the podium.
What Are The Main Changes To The Formula One Cars?
Most of the major changes revolve around the aerodynamics of the cars and how they generate the downforcerequired to keep them on the ground. The under-floors of F1 cars have traditionally been flat, but they are now shaped much like the wing of an aeroplane, which allows the designers to take advantage of what is known as venturi tunnels.
Simpler front wings now merge into the side of much lower noses, while rear wings wrap around resigned and sculpture end-plate.
In addition, they have increased wheel size to 18-inch and those wheels now have deflectors fitted around them to reduce air turbulence. It remains to be seen if the Formula 1 tyre provider, Pirelli, has rectified the problem of overheating tyres. The larger size should help alleviate this issue.
Why Have The Changes Come Into Force?
The main reason for the aerodynamic rule changes is an attempt to make racing more competitive. The F1 cars produce a substantial wake as they screech around the track, which is quite turbulent. Formula One cars require clean airflow for its aerodynamics to work optimally and create enough downforce that the driver can push the car to its limits.
Past designs meant any car travelling in the car’s wake in front suffered from reduced down force and, therefore, reduced performance. This made overtaking much more difficult than it needed to be, and racing fans love seeing cars worm their way past others. The problem was more noticeable on corners where downforce and grip are crucial to navigating at speed.
The new regulations help vastly reduce this wake by forcing it up in the air and over the top of the trailing car. In turn, this allows the trailing car to enjoy more downforce and stability. Studies show that a 2019 car lost approximately 43%of its downforce when it was one car length behind another. The new F1 designs reduce this to only 15%. This should lead to much closer races with more overtaking.
Who Was Quickest In Testing?
The pre-season testing gives some sign to which drivers will be fastest in the coming season. However, it’s also a time when the teams are tweaking their cars, hence the testing name.
Reigning champion Max Verstappen was the fastest on Day 3, 0.093 seconds faster than Yuki Tsunoda in the AlphaTauri; Honda engines power both cars. Lewis Hamilton, the man seen as most likely to challenge Verstappen for this year’s title, finished fifth 1.065 seconds slower than his Dutch rival.
