Formula 1 curbs the development race for 2022 single-seaters
After the announcement of the postponement of the new regulations for the year 2022, Formula 1 aimed to limit the development race by freezing wind tunnel tests. These tests can only resume in February 2021.
As agreed by Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams, the highly anticipated new regulations for 2021 will be postponed to 2022. These regulations, which will change the face of F1, will be reflected on the cars but also beyond, as one of the objectives of this change is to reduce development costs in this budget-consuming sport.
It is in this sense that Formula 1 has announced the ban on wind tunnel testing for the 2022 cars. This measure anticipates the top teams’ use of their resources this buffer year to get ahead in the development of “new generation” cars. Wind tunnel testing will only be allowed starting in February 2021. This is an initiative aimed at fairness between high-budget teams—who could take advantage of the lack of spending cap clauses in the current regulations—and low-budget teams that cannot afford the development of two cars simultaneously.
Still in the spirit of economy and fairness, Formula 1 had agreed with the teams to keep the 2020 chassis for the 2021 season. However, this restriction could have been a major handicap for McLaren. The Woking team, partnering with Mercedes to power its 2021 car, cannot change the engine supplier without modifying the chassis of its car. On this point, McLaren received permission to make the necessary modifications to the chassis to replace the Renault V6 with the Mercedes V6. A return of the McLaren-Mercedes partnership that many eagerly anticipate.
