Jean Todt wants Formula 1 cars capable of racing in the rain
Jean Todt, the president of the FIA, wants the next generation of F1 cars to be able to race in the rain. He wants to avoid a similar problem as in Belgium.
And if one day Formula 1 no longer had to worry about the rain? That is the question Jean Todt, the president of the FIA, is asking himself. Not wanting to reproduce the fiasco of Belgium, Todt wishes that F1 would seek to design cars to race in the rain. In Belgium, the race ultimately did not really take place. Just three laps behind the safety car to determine the race results. The conditions were not ideal for the drivers, as well as for the medical staff to intervene.
It will however be difficult to see single-seaters racing in the pouring rain during the coming years. In 2022, F1 will discover new cars. The problem, wider tires and higher levels of downforce produced by the next cars will generate more spray, making visibility very poor. If the choice was heavily criticized, the FIA was right not to resume the race. Safety first for Todt. Many criticized what was decided in Spa, but what would have happened if, after the start, we had an accident with 10 cars, with injured or worse drivers. We would have been slaughtered. And even without injuries, we would have been criticized, said the FIA president to Motorsport.com.
As rain is set to make its appearance this weekend at the Russian Grand Prix, Todt would like Formula 1 to address the issue. He believes that the problem in Belgium should serve as a lesson for future generations of cars, as well as the new power units from 2025 onwards. “For the 2025 regulations, we need to consider having cars that can even run in the rain,” he said. The Belgian Grand Prix has sparked some controversy, particularly regarding the allocation of half points and the long wait before the final decision. Discussions are scheduled to discuss the situation of the Belgian Grand Prix, as well as the next major rule revision.
