What the cars shown so far reveal about the new Formula One regulations for 2022 and the design of the racing cars, and which areas will be particularly exciting
Even though the cars shown so far are not exactly the cars that will take to the track in the 2022 Formula One season: They do reveal a lot about how the constructors interpret the new rules. This much is certain after the first car presentations before the start of winter testing.
The Haas VF-22, the first 2022 car to be presented, has already shown that there are several areas in which the new generation of racing cars differs from the design study that Formula 1 presented in the summer of 2021 as a preview for 2022. But let’s take it one step at a time.
When it comes to wheelbase, there have often been big differences between the individual cars in the recent Formula 1 past. Under the new regulations from 2022, the distance between the front and rear axles will at least not increase any further: there is now a maximum wheelbase. But that also means: Up to this limit, the teams have a free hand.
Side boxes
We expect big differences especially in the design of the side boxes, because the rules give the designers a lot of leeway here. A new specification for the side crash structure, however, requires a rethink: the high air intake openings in the sidepods, as introduced by Ferrari in the 2017 season and as they were standard in Formula 1 most recently, can no longer be used in the same form because the safety strut is now mounted 60 millimetres higher on the chassis.
In addition, there are new reference surfaces for the design of the sidepods and bonnet. This means that no winglets or similar air ducts may be fitted in the immediate vicinity of the air intakes in the sidepods.
And even if the Haas VF-22 already presented does not correspond to the final vehicle, the car did show how far Formula One teams could move away from the design study shown in the summer of 2021.
This design study, in fact, indicated long, high and heavily incised sidepods, some of which (depending on the track profile) could be fitted with additional cooling vents. However, it is likely that the designers will create significantly shorter sidepods, as they have done in the recent past. This is because such a design brings with it some aerodynamic advantages.
As always, the design of the side boxes depends primarily on which components have to be accommodated inside. Usually, the outer skin of the vehicle is drawn as compactly as possible around the radiator and electronics, but in such a way that all systems still get enough fresh air.
Transmission
With the gearbox, the big question is: What exactly should the gearbox housing look like? Because this can, for example, have an influence on the wheelbase or the positioning of other components in the car. And of course the gearbox and its shape partly determine how exactly the “Coke-bottle rear end” can be designed.
Front section
The front end of the new Formula 1 cars is more strictly defined by the regulations than before. The rules literally force the teams to find aesthetic solutions because the nose has to be low. The front section then merges neatly with the chassis.
The regulations do not specify in detail how long the nose may be in relation to its position above the front wing. What is clear, however, is that the front axle must be positioned within 100 millimetres of the front edge of the chassis when viewed from the front. Here, too, different designs are possible – and “retrofitting” is possible during the course of the season, should one version prove to be the better one.
Wheel suspension
Traction rod or push rod? That’s the question with the front suspension of the new Formula One cars. It is said that McLaren will rely on the former variant for the new car, unlike in 2013. Ferrari also used a pull-rod suspension from 2012 to 2015 and thus has experience data from the recent past.
However, the first pictures of the Haas VF-22 suggest that Haas will use a push-rod suspension. So will Haas and Ferrari stick to technically similar concepts or will they deliberately go in opposite directions? Both are conceivable.
In any case, aerodynamics is the way forward. If the designers have the impression that one of the two approaches allows more design freedom elsewhere (for example around the sidepods or at the front edge of the underbody), then they will opt for this solution – and accept any disadvantages.
If you operate with tie rods on the front axle, you get a better centre of gravity. However, because some parts are not particularly easy for the mechanics to reach with this configuration, this can have a disadvantage if, for example, set-up changes have to be made. Here it is important to weigh up the pros and cons.
Front and rear wings
The design of the front wing has been simplified once again. The “neutral area” in the middle of the main profile no longer exists. This gets rid of the so-called Y250 air vortex, which the teams had increasingly used since 2009. The front wing also sits 25 millimetres higher than before, i.e. 100 millimetres above the track instead of just 75 millimetres.
A maximum of four elements are allowed. These are framed by respective side-mounted end plates, which are now bent upwards directly from the main profile, and by the nose of the vehicle.
The end plates themselves now no longer have horizontal lower edges. These edges were previously used to deflect the airflow sideways past the front wheels. This is no longer possible. Also gone are the air deflector struts, which were previously mounted below the front wing. With these, too, the teams tried to guide the air around the front wheels and minimise turbulence.
The overall width of the front wing is still 2,000 millimetres, but only because of the side winglets on the end panels, which extend 25 millimetres beyond the end panels on the left and right.
The rear wing is also mounted higher in the 2022 season, although not as high as it was from 2009 to 2016, when it was 950 millimetres. Now it is 910 millimetres, which is an increase of 40 millimetres from 870 millimetres in the 2021 season.
This adjustment comes as no surprise: the new Formula One regulations are, after all, about improving racing. To achieve this goal, the air vortex behind the car in front must be designed differently. Hence the new height of the rear wing.
But there is even more happening: The upper part of the rear wing is now allowed to be 1,230 millimetres wide instead of only 950 millimetres as before. This means: The upper part of the rear wing with the wing profiles protrudes laterally over the rear wheels.
All these changes certainly have an impact on the air turbulence behind the vehicle. The fact that the wing profiles now merge directly into the side end plates should also play a fair part in changing the air turbulence.
Below the main profile on the rear wing, the so-called beam wing makes its comeback in Formula 1 after being banned from 2014. In the pictures of the Haas VF-22, only one element could be seen in this area, but up to two are possible.
And even though it has not yet been seen in the Formula 1 design study or in the pictures of the Haas VF-22: the drag reduction system (DRS) remains. However, in future the complete upper wing profile will no longer fold upwards, but only the inner part of it – because the wing profile on the outside merges into the side end plates, which was not the case before.
The DRS-relevant section of the upper wing profile may be up to 960 millimetres wide. And as before, the gap in the unfolded state may not exceed 85 millimetres when DRS is activated.
Diffuser
Big changes are made to the diffuser at the rear of the car, of course in conjunction with the new Venturi ducts underneath the car. In 2022, the designers have less leeway with the diffuser: instead of the previous 1,050 millimetres, only 750 millimetres are allowed in width. In return, the diffuser may reach a height of 310 millimetres, where previously the limit was set at 175 millimetres.
