Formula 1 is exploring solutions to counteract the decrease in downforce generated by aerodynamic developments
The FIA is studying regulatory solutions for 2025, while F1 drivers regularly complain about the difficulty of overtaking this season.
This season, several drivers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the difficulties in overtaking in Formula 1. A sentiment that cannot please the governing bodies who are seeking to generate spectacle. After the return of ground effect in 2022, it has become much more difficult this year to follow the preceding car, according to the general opinion of the drivers.
The ground effect, less and less advantageous?
Currently, the International Automobile Federation would be evaluating solutions for 2025 because, after analysis, the current ground effect single-seaters have lost 50% of the gains obtained in 2022 in terms of the loss of downforce that cars experience when following closely behind.
The head of the single-seater department, Nikolas Tombazis, recently spoke about this in the Italian edition of Autosport. « “If we look at the F1 cars of 2021, based on the fact that they were two car lengths behind the car ahead of them, they were losing over 50% of the aerodynamic downforce,” he explained. « “In 2022, the reduction in downforce was only 20%. Today, we are at around 35%. There has certainly been an aggravation, and on this point, Carlos is right,” he said in response to Carlos Sainz’s comments after the Italian GP, where he explained that « “it is starting to become a bit like 2021 or 2020, it is difficult to follow.” »
“We have identified certain parts of the cars to work on”
« It is clear that we no longer have the advantage of 2022, admits Tombazis, former engineer for Ferrari and McLaren among others. In fact, the reintroduction of ground effect at the beginning of last season was supposed to facilitate the duels, but the evolutions brought by each team since then have thwarted that.
“We are studying solutions for 2025,” declared the Greek engineer, “because all the teams have invested heavily in the cars for next year, and the FIA believes it would be unfair to impose regulation changes for 2024.”
As for the solutions, Nikolas Tombazis explained the direction to take: “« We are studying solutions for 2025 »,” he explained. “« We have identified certain parts of the cars to act upon, such as the front wing endplate, the side of the floor, and the fins inside the wheels. We could establish slightly more restrictive rules in these areas. »”
