{"id":6278,"date":"2022-02-10T17:06:19","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T17:06:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/motorsporttickets.com\/blog\/?p=6278"},"modified":"2023-07-04T16:00:14","modified_gmt":"2023-07-04T15:00:14","slug":"formula-1-in-2022-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-car-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/motorsporttickets.com\/blog\/formula-1-in-2022-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-car-regulations\/","title":{"rendered":"Formula 1 in 2022: what you need to know about the new car regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Formula 1<\/a> in 2022 brings with it one of the biggest shake-ups in recent memory. New regulations will require complete redesigns for every teams\u2019 car, all in the name of promoting better racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More overtaking is the key aim of the new regs, that centre around airflow. As F1 cars have developed, they have become more aerodynamically complex. Winglets, slots and flaps all over the car help it cut through the air going forwards, but it\u2019s behind the car where the problems lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the disrupted air is thrown in the leading cars\u2019 wake, creating \u2018dirty air\u2019 for the car behind to fight through. These new regulations have been specifically designed to reduce the effects of dirty air, allowing drivers to follow each other more effectively and closely. In theory, this will lead to better overtaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only time will tell whether the changes are a success on track, one thing that\u2019s certain is that the cars will look radically different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get you up to speed, we\u2019re taking you through the major changes to the 2022 cars, rules and calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes to the 2022 cars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aerodynamics<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Starting from the front of the car, the front wings on the new machines will look very different. Gone are the endplates as we know them, and adjustable flaps connected to them. Instead, the wing will feature flaps attached directly to the nose, and coming together to swoop into the endplate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also no gap between the end of the nose and the wing elements. It\u2019s a simpler design, aimed at stopping the cars throwing dirty air out behind the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The old front wings (left) did not have to be fully connected to the nose, like the new, simpler designs (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Moving backwards, new winglets appear above the tyres. These stretch down the length of the tyre towards the floor, which the teams can use to direct airflow away from the rear wing \u2013 a job previously achieved by the complicated front wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the tyres themselves are brand new \u2013 and we\u2019ll get onto that shortly \u2013 they will herald the return of the aerodynamic wheel covers. There\u2019s been a lot of talk about the aesthetics of these, but they serve an important racingpurpose: reducing dirty air. By reducing the outwash of the tyres with the covers, dirty air will be reduced for the car behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Pirelli will launch its new 18″ tyres in 2022 (right), replacing the 13″ tyres of he past (left).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The floors of the new cars will be massively simplified. Gone are the intricate bargeboards that pushed air away to protect the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, the floor will be focussed on ground effect. A series of tunnels will suck air underneath the car, accelerating it through the back of the car and dispersing via the diffuser. This will produce downforce while eliminating much of the dirty air affecting the car behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The old cars had complex bargeboards (left) which have been replaced with ground effect floors (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the back of the car, the new rear wings will look very different. They are designed to throw the dirty air skywards rather than directly in their wake. The endplates will look very different, as thee DRS will remain, but if overtaking is easier with the new cars, will it be around for much longer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The rear wings have lost the end plates of old (left) with a much more rounded look (right).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

New tyres<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pirelli will be introducing a new tyre to Formula 1 in 2022. It will move from 13\u201d wheels to a much larger 18\u201d. There\u2019s also a lower sidewall profile, which is likely to impact the impact on the suspension of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new tyres and wheels were expected to cost up to four seconds in lap time when the cars hit the track in 2022. However, following extensive testing with the teams, it\u2019s expected the deficit to only be around one 0.5-1 second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aforementioned wheel covers will provide an additional challenge to the teams when it comes to the already tricky pit stops. The wheel gunners, who loosen and tighten the wheel nuts, will now have a tiny CD-sized target to aim for. Accuracy is everything when it comes to increasing the speed of pit stops, and these high-pressured events have stepped up a level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engines and fuel<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The engines for the new era will remain pretty much the same: <\/strong>1000hp 1.6-litre turbo hybrid engine. And from 1st<\/sup> March 2022, these engines will be frozen as all development is halted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will be the case until the new power units arrive with new engine regulations in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
The fuel changes in 2022 are a sign of things to come in Formula 1’s future.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There has been scope for the teams to make changes to the power units to compensate for a big change coming this season, however. As part of its sustainability push that envisages the cars running on 100% sustainable fuel by 2025, E10 fuel is being introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E10 fuel uses 10% ethanol and 90% fossil fuels to power the engine. Previously, the cars used a 5-95 mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engines will be required to adapt to this change, with hardware alterations required to minimise the power loss effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule changes for the 2022 season<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Budget cap<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

First introduced to Formula 1 in 2021, the budget cap will be tightened for the new season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dropping from $145m to $140m, teams will face a squeeze on resources for everything but their marketing, the salaries of the six-highest earner, power units and team travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is set to reduce by a further $5m in 2023, leaving each team with a measly $135million to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the teams at the back of the grid are well off spending this amount of money in a season. But teams like Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari will see their budgets slashed significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weekend format<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a tweak to the race format to get used to. Media activities have been shifted from Thursday to Friday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, rather than the first practice session running on Friday morning, both Friday sessions will take place in the afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Fans
There will be a new format to race weekends, meaning fans won’t have to arrive quite so early for the F1 action.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For sprint qualifying, we\u2019d expect the same structure to take place as in 2021: Friday afternoon practice, Friday evening qualifying, Saturday morning practice and Saturday afternoon sprint race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new format will be most significantly felt at one race in particular: Monaco. Running usually takes place on a Thursday rather than a Friday, which was based on a religious tradition. In 2022, the race will follow suit with the rest of the calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wind tunnel usage<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Usage of the wind tunnel is crucial for the development of a Formula 1 car. Simulating the effect of driving at speed with models and sensors gives engineers the ability to shape their cars aerodynamic updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, teams were able to run their wind tunnels non-stop, accumulating limitless amounts of data. This, of course, was to the disadvantage of the less affluent teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 2021, the amount of running allowed was reduced to 40 runs per week. A sliding scale was also introduced, based on a teams\u2019 championship performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team finishing 5th<\/sup> were allotted 100% of this time, with the teams above losing 2.5% of this time for every place above 5th<\/sup> they finished. Teams below 5th<\/sup> were handed an extra 2.5% of running time per position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, this changes dramatically. The standard level of running will be awarded to the team in 7th<\/sup> place, with increments of 5% per position introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that in 2022, Mercedes will only have 70% of air tunnel time, compared to Haas\u2019 115%. Given the new regulations, this could have significant implications to the cars they produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sprint qualifying<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There isn\u2019t a rule change regarding sprint qualifying per se, but following the trial introduction in 2021, they are set to return in the new season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Valterri
Wreaths and medals were awarded to the winners of the sprint qualifying sessions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The initial plan is to run sprint qualifying at six events in 2022. Autosport reports that Formula 1 has proposed it take place at the following races:<\/p>\n\n\n\n