Rules of F1 2021: the proposed project for the future of the race

The FIA ​​and Formula 1 revealed the most concrete vision to date of how the 2021 regulation, designed to fundamentally reshape the composition of Formula 1, could look like.

Having been originally scheduled to be unveiled in June 2019, it was decided that it would be wise to delay the presentation of the rules to allow further improvements.

READ MORE: RULES F1 2021 – What Happens Next?

Ross Brawn and Pat Symonds, respectively general manager of motor sports and technical manager in Formula 1, as well as Nicholas Tombazis, FIA single-seat technical manager, talk about the four main pillars of the new regulations and the work that remains to do before their finalization.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1. More racable cars

The aerodynamic regulation introduced for 2019 aimed to try to remedy the problems caused by rule changes made in 2017, according to which the complex aerodynamic design of these cars reduced the next car's support by about 50%. But, according to the Tombazis, the improvements obtained in 2019 are in no way comparable to what we will see in two years, while "the effect of soil" (support produced by the low profile of cars) will play a role much more important in the way cars generate their support …

"[With the 2021 car] generally, a loss of support of about 50% for the next car within two car distances [in 2017] we lost about 5-10%, "says Tombazis. "So we have a mbadive reduction in reducing the strength of support for the next car."

It's a huge difference. But the disturbed air also has repercussions, the main one being the damaging effect on the tires of the following cars. And with that in mind, tires are also a key factor to change for 2021, when Formula 1 will increase from 13 to 18 inches.

"We have a fairly thorough consultation with Pirelli," explains Tombazis, "on how to make tires really efficient and allow people to run. they do not break down, they do not force people to handle tires as much. "

"I think we asked Pirelli what's more wrong in the last two years," adds Symonds. "The target of severe degradation is not the way to go."

MORE DETAILS

• It is recognized that pit stops are important in F1 and valued by fans. So, as Symonds says, Pirelli does not intend to produce an ultra-hard tire, like Le Mans, that will continue over and over again.

• It has been proposed to ban tire covers for 2021

2. More competitive grids

The British Grand Prix 2019 was definitely a pirate, but it remains that Valtteri Bottas' pole in qualifying was three seconds faster than Robert Kubica's P20, and Brawn is sincere: that's it. a gap too important for the sport, the key objective now being to tighten the field of action in 2021 by a nominal factor of about half.

"We have three teams that can win races at the moment, that's all," he says. "Over the next two years, Formula 1 will be on a much better trajectory … where a very good team, funded in a moderate way, can cause a lot of problems. That's what we want. If you have a Charles Leclerc or a Max Verstappen in a midfield team, that can make a difference. This will not be important at the moment.

Part of the plan to do this is to define a set of "very normative" aerodynamic rules described by Brawn, designed to prevent a team from discovering a "quick fix" to crush the opposition. And while Brawn – better than others – understands how these constraints could upset the aerodynamicists of some F1 teams, he was convinced that the good of the sport depended on it …

"Without a doubt, he says, relative freedom teams have had up to now, this will be frustrating. But if they can consider that these regulations are the same for everyone and "we'll do a better job than anyone else, we just can not be two seconds faster, we'll be two tenths faster" – c & Is what we want from Formula 1. "

MORE DETAILS

• The removal of some driving aids on cars is being evaluated before October

• A reduction in car telemetry at the mine is also under consideration.

• It has been proposed that a driver plays a much larger role in managing car problems such as overheating and tire wear during the race, rather than letting his racing engineers guide him to through these problems.

3. Cars that make you "wow"

Formula 1 cars must represent the pinnacle of single-seat engineering, but they must also be much more fundamental: they must be bady. Thus, although lap time is essential, it was deemed equally important to give the 2021 F1 car a deserving place on the wall of the fan room.

"We aim for the end product to look good," says Tombazis. "Being a car that promotes a certain pbadion and a certain" wow factor ", we want it to be part of the new Formula 1."

In this spirit, although the development of the 2021 car prototype is obviously very advanced, improvements still need to be made before October.

"We are still not completely satisfied with the front wing," explains Tombazis, "from an aerodynamic and aesthetic point of view. So we are trying to improve both aspects a bit. There are good reasons for the wing to be very wide aerodynamically, but we all understand that this is not the best aesthetic result, so there is work to be done there. "

To inform that, in the meantime, will be a consultation with the F1 fans themselves, something that is unique in the history of the sport.

"It has never been done before," says Brawn. "So, understand from fans what excites them about Formula 1 and talk to fans who have stopped watching or not watching. Why do not they watch, what is stopped?

"The fans therefore play an important role in the orientation of Formula 1."

MORE DETAILS

• The FIA ​​and Formula 1 will work with a car stylist to translate the car's important design features into technical regulations.

• Parallel to the cars, the type of circuit racing Formula 1 races will also be badyzed, the new race in Vietnam to be a first test of "a new philosophy of where we should take the Formula 1", according to Brawn.

4. A financially viable championship

The FIA ​​and Formula 1 are not only seeking to impose budget ceilings and tighter financial regulations for 2021, but they also want the teams to simply be able to run for less money, with a certain amount of money. cost reduction elements already identified.

They understand:

• Standard rims
• A standardized braking system
• Prohibition of hydraulic suspension systems
• A restriction on the use of some exotic materials
• Standard radiators
• A fixed specification of the gearbox parameters
• Standard booth equipment for all teams

All of the above is currently under discussion for inclusion in the 2021 regulation. Less practical measures, such as a reduction in wind tunnel time, could also help to prevent Financial power is not the fundamental principle of F1. .

In addition to this, cost controls must be put in place to limit the size of teams, the goal being again to prevent large teams from surpbading the smaller ones with higher resources.

"Great teams will always be the best," said Brawn. "But in all the marginal gains they realize when they have 10 people on a project instead of two, which brings 5% more performance, they will not do it anymore. They can not, or if they do, they lose in other areas where they could possibly make better gains. "

MORE DETAILS

• It has been proposed that the salaries of drivers and the salaries of a small number of key personnel on the team are not included in the cost control.

• Marketing activities would probably not be limited by cost control because, according to Brawn, "it's good for Formula 1, it's good for everyone".

RULES F1 2021: What happens next?