Why F1's new rules can't yet be ruled a total success
OPINION: In the name of better racing, last season’s Formula 1 technical shake-up forced teams to throw away years of know-how and adopt ground-effect aerodynamics – a principle last seen (and banned) in the early 1980s. But it also created new problems such as heavy, ponderous cars which were prone to instability. MATT KEW says the new era still has plenty to prove.
It was arguably the biggest rethink of the technical regulations in Formula 1 history and that meant sky-high expectations. If the return of ground effects created races which featured anything less than a stream of spectacular overtakes, then the new rules would only ever earn a lukewarm reception.
But the new framework – first presented at the 2019 United States Grand Prix – was already taking a pounding long before the opening round of 2022. Those who wandered to the bottom of the main Barcelona straight during pre-season testing were treated to a sight not seen in F1 since the early 1980s. The cars were hopping violently as speeds climbed. The rediscovery of this sensation would make ‘porpoising’ the buzzword at the dawn of the new era.
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