The regulations for the 2021 season, which eventually came into effect in 2022, were written by a working group led by Pat Symonds. The new owners of Formula 1 wanted more entertainment, better sales, more income.
It was proposed to achieve this by reducing the flow of disturbed air behind the vehicle, allowing someone to get closer and attack. The medium chosen was the ‘ground effect’, but with many limitations. Mercedes technical director James Allison sees this as a big mistake.
James Ellison: “It is not a fact that the new rules have led to better racing. And it is not a fact that they have led to today’s situation, where one team dominates. The task of those left behind is to impose a battle on the leaders.
But there are points in these lines that bother us all. I don’t think there’s any point in using ‘ground effect’ if you ignore other important factors, especially tire performance.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with the underbody generating the most downforce, but the layout described in the regulations, which is highly dependent on the height of the rear of the car, should be changed when drafting of the regulations for the 2026 season. A more balanced approach would be useful.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
