In what are the most significant rule changes that I can remember in Formula 1, the 2022 season promises to be one of the most exciting in its hsitory. Let's put behind us the scandalous end to the 2021 season and look forward to new cars and hopefully, close racing action.
Haas were the first team to reveal their livery today and they are the team I'm expecting to surprise most people in 2022. They wrote off the 2021 season before it had even begun, preferring instead to focus their attention on this season. Although Nikita Mazepin won't fill anybody with confidence after an embarrassing 2021, Mick Schumacher is a driver that I'm expecting to fare much better.
But I digress, why am I expecting 2022 to be so exciting?
One simple reason, dirty air. Or lack of it.
Recent race cars have been marred by an inability to stay close to the car behind due to the turbulence that the car in front creates. Whilst Slip-streaming is well know, it only really works on the straights and for it to work, you need to be close enough coming out of the corners.
The 2022 cars should address this.
At 20m, the 2021 cars lose 35% of their downforce and at 10m, 46%. That's a lot.
The 2022 cars are designed to lose just 4% at 20m and 18% at 20m meaning that cars can race more closely, for longer periods without destroying their tyres.
Formula 1 released this video back in July if you'd like to learn more.
So I'm excited. Forget the injustice of Abu Dhabi and look forward to Bahrain on 18th - 20th March.