Ross Brawn has suggested that Formula 1 will move to ban any technical innovations or design solutions dreamt up by teams over the winter that take away from the aim of the sport's latest regulation changes. F1's new 2022 cars were designed to be easier to follow, with some drivers having already reported positive feedback after testing their new machines on track alongside their rivals. This should make it easier for cars to gain ground on slower machines without being caught in downforce-stripping 'dirty air', a phenomenon that has increasingly frustrated drivers over recent years. However, as teams look to claw back some of the downforce taken from their cars by the new regulations, a number of ingenious new design solutions have been rolled out.
F1 will "nudge back" any damaging designs
But should any of those innovations steer F1 away from the main aim of 2022's new regulations, F1 chief Brawn has made clear that they will be "nudged" back, in a warning to any teams looking to take their cars down a route that may push the boundaries of the rules. F1 are already looking closely at the cars put on track by all 10 teams in Barcelona and will continue to monitor them as the season develops. Brawn told F1 TV : "I don't think any of [the new innovations are] damaging the fundamental characteristics of the car, but I have said this many times, the working group who worked together to design this [2022] car will keep on working. "[The group] now have access to the data and designs and they'll be evaluating whether any of these designs are moving in the wrong direction, and then we'll nudge them back again. "I really think, from talking to some of the drivers, that they're seeing and appreciating the difference in this car to follow another car."
Which teams have the most radical cars on the 2022 F1 grid?
Ferrari and Red Bull both debuted particularly aggressive-looking 2022 cars at the first pre-season test, with Red Bull and their new RB18 springing the most surprises . The car possessed many of the technical innovations spotted on rival machines but with a pair of heavily-sculpted sidepods that were notably missing a chunk of lower bodywork. Ferrari's sidepod design also stood out, featuring two deep dips in the bodywork engineered to speed up air and catapult it towards the returning beam wing, just below the rear wing. In addition, there are plenty of interesting floor concepts on this season's cars, with Mercedes returning to their wavy-edge concept , while Ferrari have been seen to be experimenting with their floor design. "I think if you look at the Ferrari, it's very extreme, those very deeply sculpted sidepods," said Brawn. "There is a lot of interesting detail on the sides of that floor, a huge number of solutions in terms of the detail on the edge of the floor." F1's new cars will next take to the track on 10 March for the first of three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, before the fun begins just one week later with the opening Grand Prix of the new season.
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