New rules mark biggest change in F1 history Mat Coch By Mat Coch Saturday 29th January, 2022 - 1:26pm

[tomo]

Rules changes set to be introduced as part of this year’s Formula 1 season are the biggest in the sport’s history, according to Mercedes’ James Allison.

The coming season will feature cars visibly different from their predecessors as designs grapple with more prescriptive regulations and a new aerodynamic philosophy.

Cars will be simpler externally, with much of their downforce generated under the floor rather than using complex wings in the air stream.

For Allison, who has more than three decades of experience in F1, it represents the greatest regulatory shift the sport has seen.

“It’s easy to forget sometimes just what a massive set of regulation changes, these 2022 rules represent,” said Allison, Mercedes’ chief technical officer.

“I’ve been working in the sport for over 30 years, and they dwarf anything else I’ve ever seen.

“I suspect if I were to dig out Wikipedia and go through every season of the sport that there’s ever been, there would be nothing to match the scale of the change that comes with 2022.”

Allison’s opinion comes not only because of the enormity of the new rulebook, which runs almost double with the 2021 regulations did, but that very little from the previous generation cars will carry over.

“That has meant that we’ve had to reinvent the car, tip to toe,” he said.

“Everywhere you look, it’s completely new, not just new as in new parts, but new as in completely new philosophy, a completely different aerodynamic package, different brakes, different wheels, crucially different tyres.

“And even the engine, one of the things that is less touched by the regulations, even there the power unit has to be prepared so that it can be frozen for three years, all the goodness that you can possibly pack into it has to be packed into it now or forever hold your peace.”

The new challenge has left the Brit to suggest some teams will simply get it wrong and be left in the wilderness throughout 2022.

However, he also views it as an opportunity for Mercedes to demonstrate that it didn’t simply luck into success under the old formula.

“It has been incredibly hard, incredibly hard, very, very challenging, and long, to get our heads around this, and to try to figure out what the best responses to these regulations, and where the opportunity is to be found in order to put a car on the track, in a few short weeks from now, that gives us a chance of being competitive right from the beginning,” he suggested.

“This new rule set has been quite a long time in the making. It was first proposed as a set of objectives way, way back in 2017.”

Along with allow cars to race one another more closely owing to the reduced aerodynamic wake left by cars, Allison suggests another aim of the regulations is to condense the field and reduce costs – a move which goes hand in hand with the financial regulations introduced in 2021.

“So instead of the two to three seconds that divide the front from the back today, they hope for a much closer grid, often suggested that maybe compressing it all into one second would be a more exciting formula than the one we’ve been used to.

“But not just compressed front to back, but also a format of car that would allow the cars to race more effectively with one another on the track,” he added.

“And to permit an easier and more natural form of overtaking than we’ve been used to in Formula 1 in recent seasons.

“Then, finally, for those cars to be more affordable for all the teams in the grid.

“Those were sort of headline objectives of this regulation, and I guess those are the reasons why this big change [is happening].”

The 2022 F1 season starts with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 18-20, though pre-season testing gets underway on February 23 in Spain.

Mercedes will launch its new car, the W13, on February 18.

[LeeM]

 Time will tell if it's a complete flop 

[tomo]

F1 breakthrough

https://amp.nine.com.au/article/29d073c7-dbfc-4a7d-b101-5dfa2c1eabfc

 

[Troubleshooter]

Looking forward to the season. Just watched the current Drive To Survive and whilst it didn't enthral me like last season's episodes, It was a bloody good watch and the production is first class

[LeeM]

48 minutes ago, Troubleshooter said:

Looking forward to the season. Just watched the current Drive To Survive and whilst it didn't enthral me like last season's episodes, It was a bloody good watch and the production is first class

 Just did the same.

With Max having the confidence to beat Hamilton on track (regardless of how it ended), he's nearly a shoe in for the title for the next coupla 3 years. Especially now that he's signed up with Red Bull for $75m a year until 2028

[MFX]

I am so looking forward to the new season. It would be great to see a wider range of drivers on the podium, hoping that the cars will be more closely matched. That said, I still think Mercedes and Red Bull will still be at the pointy end of the grid with everyone else scrabbling to keep up. Although I think Ferrari will be much more of a contender this year. Even though I wish it was McLaren at the top, they don't seem to be having the best time in testing..

[Troubleshooter]

9 hours ago, LeeM said:

 Just did the same.

With Max having the confidence to beat Hamilton on track (regardless of how it ended), he's nearly a shoe in for the title for the next coupla 3 years. Especially now that he's signed up with Red Bull for $75m a year until 2028

It's most probably outta Merc and RB again as I think there's less than a bees dick between the absolute top 5 or 6 drivers, any of them just need near on the best car/team and an ounce of luck (and no bad luck!).... never count out the red cars to get the choccies. Maclaren will mostly be in the next pack i think - even though I am a huge fan of both the McLarens, Ricciardo (age and record says he's on the way down) and Norris (age and record says he's on the way up).

IMO overall mad Max won the cup fair n square in a nuanced final coupla races. In the final race - Masi fucked up a bit bending his rules, Mercedes fucked up a bit not pitting when red bull did and the Gods conspired against Max when Hamilton cut right across a corner and never gave Max back the half second advantage he gained (even though instructed to), and  then he ran up his arse when Verstappen did the right thing under instruction and slowed down to let him pass.... Stiff shit for Hamilton and his front wing coz him and his team weren't tuned in to what was happening. Who dares wins and Verstappen had his elbows out the last half of the season. First thing and main thing is to cross the line first then worry about the finer details. Example near end of last race: Wolf on radio to Masi "they are racing rather dangerously Michael you should warn them" Masi reply "It's called car racing Toto!"

21 minutes ago, MFX said:

I am so looking forward to the new season. It would be great to see a wider range of drivers on the podium, hoping that the cars will be more closely matched. That said, I still think Mercedes and Red Bull will still be at the pointy end of the grid with everyone else scrabbling to keep up. Although I think Ferrari will be much more of a contender this year. Even though I wish it was McLaren at the top, they don't seem to be having the best time in testing..

I'm with you hoping for a more even field too Jeff and tell me you weren't in the UK 23 years back? Lando is the bloody spitting image mate 

[LeeM]

 Yeah @Troubleshooter, Masi did make a mess of the last safety car especially. Allowing only 5 lapped cars to unlap themselves putting Max behind Hamilton was pretty obvious what the F1 management wanted...and they got it

 I'll put my 2 bobs worth in. Yes it will be RB and Mercedes, but I reckon Russell isn't going to let Hamilton get away with it too easily. Saying that, ol sooky pants Toto will make sure he tows the line with team orders, yet I personally hope George really shows his talent and is competitive from the off.

[tk111]

10 hours ago, LeeM said:

 Yeah @Troubleshooter, Masi did make a mess of the last safety car especially. Allowing only 5 lapped cars to unlap themselves putting Max behind Hamilton was pretty obvious what the F1 management wanted...and they got it

 I'll put my 2 bobs worth in. Yes it will be RB and Mercedes, but I reckon Russell isn't going to let Hamilton get away with it too easily. Saying that, ol sooky pants Toto will make sure he tows the line with team orders, yet I personally hope George really shows his talent and is competitive from the off.

Totally agree, Russell will be the guy to watch in the Merc this year.  I am not convinced he will be as obedient as Bottas re team orders.  He showed that he was a super talent 2 years ago when he jumped into the Hamilton car and showed up Bottas straight away. Netflix missed that beauty..

I am still hoping that Dan will come good with the McLaren🤞

Max will be on fire this year, car dependent.. and I totally agree with @Troubleshooter that he had shown his skill and speed in that last few races, the controversy over Massi’s decision has overshadowed Max’s brilliant drive throughout the year. He totally deserved the championship.

[LeeM]

 I bet Bottas had been told from the very start to play the game, as you could see that in nearly every interview before and after a race. It was the same for Massa and Barrichello at Ferrari with being wingman to Schumacher.

 I'm all for helping a team mate at a critical moment nearing the end of a season if you're not in the hunt for the championship, but not every race like Mercedes/Wolff did to Bottas. It was clear on Bottas' face that he hated it, as he wasn't there to just make up the numbers and be a road block for Max, and his unceremonious departure from Mercedes was the final slap in the face