Another three kilograms more: Formula 1 2022 continues to put on fat – The reason for this is likely to be the budget cap, which makes subsequent improvements difficult
Formula 1 is also officially putting on a little more flab: In a last-minute decision, the Formula 1 teams have raised the minimum weight of the cars by another three kilograms. The vehicle plus driver may now weigh 798 kilogrammes. But even achieving this will be a challenge for the teams.
The minimum weight had initially been raised from 752 to 795 kilograms for the new generation of cars for the 2022 season. This was in response to the new 18-inch wheels as well as new safety features. But the Formula 1 teams had problems reaching this limit.
An unexpected factor is that the ground effect underbodies of the bolides have to be reinforced. These proved to be more pliable than expected during the first tests of the new cars in Barcelona and Sachir.
Formula One sporting boss Ross Brawn admits on the sidelines of testing in Bahrain that the teams face some difficult task: “It’s turned out to be quite a challenge to meet the weight limit with these cars. “
“After the terrible accident [involving Anthoine Hubert and Juan Manuel Correa] in Formula 2 at Spa a couple of years ago, the Romain Grosjean accident [in Bahrain in 2020] and one or two other things, there have been a lot of new safety initiatives. As a result, the weight of the cars continues to increase. “
Reducing weight costs a lot of money
With the teams’ hands somewhat tied on this point due to the budget cap, it was decided to raise the limit further so that they do not have to invest more money in weight reduction programmes.
Some teams even argued for an even higher figure, but the teams that came closer to the limit should not be penalised. The change still needs to be rubber-stamped by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
“I think everyone here is a bit overweight,” said Toto Wolff (referring to the cars, not the people in the paddock). “Everyone was trying to figure out how far over the others were. That’s why there was the little step [of three kilograms]. “
“For us, part of the competition is to reduce the weight. What makes the difference this time is the budget cap. But as long as it’s the same for everyone, we’re okay with that. “
Three kilograms as a healthy compromise
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto agrees that three kilograms is a good compromise: “First of all, we should not forget that the current cars are already much heavier than last year. In my opinion, it is never good for the sport to increase the weight.”
“As I think three kilograms is a good compromise between all teams. But we should not increase it further. As Toto said, the [weight] is part of the competition. In the future, our goal should be to reduce the weight of the cars and not increase it further.”
Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost insists that it has been difficult for all the teams to get the first generation of the new cars down to the weight limit: “Of course something like this is always difficult, they are completely new rules. These cars are very complicated. To design everything in such a way that you reach the weight limit is a very difficult task.”
“Almost all the teams are overweight. The compromise we have found is good. It’s also a cost issue. Weight reduction is very costly. And now that we have the budget cap, I think we have reached a good compromise between the teams. “
