The FIA reported teams are going to have a full set of revised technical and sporting regulations in October. It was revealed during an update on the state of play concerning 2021 rules by Nikolas Tombazis, the Single Seater Technical Matters officer.
A large part of the focus of the FIA and Formula 1 has been on the reduction of the wake effect created by leading vehicles. It is also how they affected the ability of the chase car to follow. The goal was to improve the overtaking opportunities and to provide for closer racing.
Of course, this is counter to the aims of formula one teams, whereby the objective would be to defeat rivals. If part of the success attained is gotten by disrupting the competitor's stability by the wake, then, by all means, it should be embraced.
Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds, claimed there are particular areas they know where one could add performance. Though in doing so, the result would be damage to the wake, so they have been a bit prescriptive in these places.
Tombazis also added they were trying to find things that would make the car go faster. If a team built their cars faster, but the wake would not depreciate, then there would not be a problem with that. They were looking for fundamental weaknesses or loopholes within the regulations.
Teams have been quick to criticize the new moves by the FIA. Ferrari team boss, Mattia Binotto voiced his skepticism of the 2021 car design rules as he did not see a point to them.
He stated the team had always been against the standardization and he feels the sport is going too far in that direction.
Binotto stated that the addition of more standard components would not be much of a cost-cutting exercise in 2021 considering the subsequent introduction of the budget cap.
The main goal he says is sustainability, and on this note, he did agree with one of their regulations to institute a financial cap on expenses per team. That would close the gap between the large and small teams to create a level playing field from which the drivers could capitalize.
Tombazis was quick to say the set of regulations are an evolving process, and they would publish the full set of sporting regulations which will be exercised in 2021. Symond ended by claiming beyond the tests aimed at drafting the 2021 regulations; work would continue to monitor the exploitation of the ruleset.
This article was first published in IBTimes US. Permission required for reproduction.
