Technical Innovations In The 2022 F1 Season

The 2022 Formula 1 season began to show revolutionary change with regards to new technical regulations. That’s a whole different aspect of the era of new car design intended towards closer racing and action-packed, thrilling track running. It saw sweeping and broad modifications throughout, including both huge aerodynamics revisions and further steps toward increased safety. This paper attempts to detail some key innovations that come within this new form for the season beginning in 2022.

Aerodynamic Revolution

Ground Effect Returns

Perhaps one of the most sweeping changes for 2022 was the return of ground effect aerodynamics—a concept last seen in F1 in the early 1980s. The new cars boast fully shaped underfloor tunnels, creating a ‘ground effect’ that generates large amounts of downforce by essentially turning the entire underside of the car into one giant wing.

This shift towards ground effect aerodynamics was designed to reduce the turbulent wake produced by cars, allowing following vehicles to maintain more of their downforce when in close proximity. Research showed that 2021 F1 cars lost up to 35% of their downforce when running three car lengths behind a leading car and up to 47% at one car length. In contrast, the 2022 designs reduced these figures to just 4% at three car lengths and 18% at one car length.

Simplified Front Wing

The 2022 front wing design is a significant departure from its predecessor. It features much higher end plates but less complex elements. A key change is the removal of the gap between the nose and the wing elements, which eliminates the ‘Y250 vortex’—a series of spinning air vortices that previously directed airflow towards the bargeboards and away from the floor.

This simplification aims to reduce the disrupted air for following cars, making it easier for them to maintain performance in close racing situations17.

Redesigned Rear Wing.

The rear wing of the 2022 cars also underwent a major redesign. The new wing features a distinctive curved shape with ‘rolled tips’ at the top of the endplates. 

This design is intended to throw the car’s wake higher into the air and away from following cars, reducing aerodynamic disturbance.

Additionally, the rear wing works in conjunction with a revised diffuser to merge air flows from the rear wheels and the underside of the car, resulting in a narrower wake convergence.

Wheel and Tire Changes

18-Inch Wheels

One of the most visible changes in 2022 was the switch from 13-inch to 18-inch wheels. This change brings F1 cars closer in appearance to road cars and has several performance implications.

Alongside high-profile Pirelli tires, the larger wheels do come, known to be of low profile, though designed not to overheat and lose their profile from degradation.

The stiffer sidewalls of these tires are expected to provide more consistent performance and reduce aerodynamic disruption caused by tire deformation.

Wheel Covers and Over-Wheel Winglets

To further control airflow around the wheels, 2022 saw the return of wheel covers, last seen in F1 in 2009. These covers help to keep airflow clean and limit what teams can do aerodynamically around the tires.

A new addition for 2022 is the over-wheel winglet, designed to help control the wake coming off the front tires and direct it away from the rear wing. This innovation aims to reduce the aerodynamic sensitivity of the cars in turbulent air.

Power unit and fuel

While the basic architecture of the power units remained largely unchanged for 2022, there were some notable innovations:

E10 Fuel

In a step towards sustainability, F1 introduced E10 fuel for 2022, consisting of 10% ethanol. This change is part of F1’s commitment to developing more sustainable fuels for the future.

Ferrari’s Power Unit Innovation

Ferrari’s F1-75 car featured one of the season’s most innovative power units. It utilized a smaller turbo and longer inlet tracts compared to rival cars, combined with a super-fast ignition system18. This configuration allowed for explosive low-speed acceleration and took full advantage of the 500-bar fuel pressure permitted by the regulations.

Safety Improvements

Safety remained a top priority in the 2022 regulations, with several key improvements:

Stronger Chassis

The 2022 cars feature a significantly strengthened chassis, capable of absorbing 48% more energy in frontal impacts and 15% more in rear impacts compared to the 2021 cars.

Improved Fuel Tank Safety

Learning from Romain Grosjean’s fiery crash in 2020, the 2022 regulations stipulate that in severe crashes, the power unit must separate from the chassis without exposing or rupturing the fuel tank.

Longer Nose

The front nose of the 2022 cars is longer, based on findings from investigations into past accidents. This change, along with stronger chassis sides, is designed to better protect drivers in various types of impacts.

Team-Specific Innovations

While the regulations aimed to standardize certain aspects of car design, teams still found areas for innovation:

Ferrari’s Sidepod Design

Ferrari’s F1-75 featured unique aerodynamics with bluff out-washing sidepods and a distinctive upper surface channel, providing an excellent combination of floor and rear wing performance18.

Mercedes’ “Zero Sidepod” Concept

Mercedes introduced a radical “zero sidepod” design on their W13, which initially caused controversy but demonstrated the team’s innovative approach to the new regulations.

Red Bull’s Underfloor Design

Red Bull Racing, who dominated the 2022 season, likely found advantages in their underfloor design, although the specifics remained closely guarded.

Impact on Racing

The primary goal of the 2022 technical regulations was to improve the quality of racing by allowing cars to follow each other more closely. Early indications suggested that this objective was at least partially achieved, with drivers reporting improved ability to stay close to competitors through corners.

However, the regulations also had some unintended consequences. For example, the reduced dirty air effect also meant a reduction in the slipstream effect on straights, potentially making some overtaking maneuvers more challenging.

Challenges and Adaptations

The introduction of such sweeping technical changes presented significant challenges for teams:

Weight Increase

The new safety features and larger wheels contributed to a substantial weight increase, with the minimum weight rising from 752 kg to 795 kg. This additional weight had implications for car performance and tire management.

Development Restrictions

With the introduction of a cost cap in 2021, teams faced the challenge of developing their 2022 cars under stricter budget constraints. This limitation likely contributed to the diverse range of design solutions seen across the grid.

Porpoising

An unexpected issue that emerged early in the 2022 season was “porpoising”—a phenomenon where cars bounced violently at high speeds due to the ground effect aerodynamics. Teams had to quickly adapt their designs to mitigate this problem, which was particularly severe for some constructors22.

Looking Ahead

These technical regulations for 2022 have laid the basis on which the future of F1 will be built, with further refinement likely in seasons beyond. The sport’s governing body will most probably continue to pay close attention to how well these changes work in facilitating closer racing, introducing further tweaks where necessary.

Moreover, the focus on sustainability is set to intensify, with F1 aiming to introduce 100% sustainable fuels by 2026.

Conclusion

The 2022 F1 season represented one of the most significant technical overhauls in the sport’s history. The new regulations brought about a raft of innovations aimed at improving the spectacle of racing while pushing the boundaries of automotive technology.

From the return of ground effect aerodynamics to the introduction of larger wheels and enhanced safety features, the changes were comprehensive and far-reaching. While some innovations, like Ferrari’s unique sidepod design and power unit configuration, stood out, the true success of the new regulations will be measured by their long-term impact on the quality of racing and the sport’s sustainability efforts.

As teams continue to explore the possibilities within the new regulatory framework, we can expect to see further innovations and refinements in the coming seasons. The 2022 technical regulations have set F1 on a new path, balancing the pursuit of performance with the need for closer, more exciting racing—a delicate equilibrium that will continue to drive innovation in the pinnacle of motorsport.