Ahead of the British Grand Prix, Formula 1 offered an overview of the lines of single-seaters which will be at the start from the 2022 season, with the ambition of offering more spectacle on the track with cars more capable to follow each other.
After long months of preparation, Formula 1 turned to its future on Thursday. While the discipline will return this weekend to Silverstone, where it all began in 1950, a full-size model presenting the main concepts that will be in effect from 2022 has been unveiled. While each of the manufacturers will have some leeway to give their cars their own identity, the technical regulations that will be put in place next season will be stricter than before in order to allow the long-established objective to be respected. by the FIA and F1: allow single-seaters to follow each other more easily than at present. A change that will involve the return of the ground effect after several decades of prohibition, in order to limit the production of “dirty air”, that is to say of aerodynamic disturbances. The result will be a loss of downforce for the following car which should not exceed 20%, compared to almost 50% at present.
Here’s a few more looks at 2022’s new machinery ?
F1’s regulations are set for a shake up at the start of 2022, with this new car aiming to make the racing closer than ever before # F1 #F12022 pic.twitter.com/0FSMPSvzPN
– Formula 1 (@ F1) July 15, 2021
Easier to follow cars
Another way to prevent “dirty air” from forming is going through the wheels. While F1 will abandon the 13-inch rims to move to 18-inch, two elements will make it possible to limit the generation of downforce via the wheels. For the first time since 2009, hubcaps will be imposed while fins will be placed above the wheels and will aim to better guide air flows away from the rear spoiler., more solidly replacing the outer edges of the front wing which currently have the same function. If the modifications are immensely technical, they will also be visual with completely redesigned front and rear fins. While the front part will be directly attached to the nose, the rear part will be rounder, less angular. The purpose of this shape will be to push the air higher than it is currently and thus limit aerodynamic turbulence. One feature will remain in effect, that of the DRS to reduce straight line drag.
Witness your heroes create everlasting memories in our 2022 contender next season ?# F1 #F12022 pic.twitter.com/PteFTDSOG4
– Formula 1 (@ F1) July 15, 2021
Safety reviewed and corrected, no more biofuels
What will not change is the engine with the hybrid turbo V6 in force since 2014 which will remain present at least until 2025. However, before switching to renewable fuels at this time, F1 will use a modified fuel from 2022. While oil companies must currently provide a product with 5.75% biofuels, this share will increase to 10% ethanol. Learning from the accident which cost the life of French driver Anthoine Hubert at Spa-Francorchamps in 2019 but also from that suffered by Romain Grosjean last year in Bahrain, F1 has done a lot of work on the safety of the survival cell, with much greater force absorption requirements than at present. Changes at all stages which will have a cost, the single-seaters will go from 752 to 790kg with expected performance down by several seconds per lap compared to the 2021 single-seaters. The teams, each in turn, are working hard to make the most of this new regulation, which could reshape the hierarchy from next season.
