Formula 1 debuts new 2022 F1 car: Check out the design specifications of the next-gen car

Formula 1 revealed the all-new 2022 car which is aimed at improving racing and increasing competition. F1 is hoping to begin a new era in racing with more overtaking and increased competition in the fight for a podium finish and title honours. The cars feature bigger and simplified front and rear wings, in addition to the return of a ground-effect floor to channel air under the car more efficiently.

The 2022 concept also features front-wheel deflectors for the first time, while tyres will be lower-profile and increased in size to 18 inches for further aero and heat-control benefits.

'A fantastic race car' says Ross Brawn

"Elegant, streamlined and be designed to race to the limit," Ross Brawn, F1's managing director said.

"We think it's a fantastic race car. We want the best drivers to win but we want much closer competition. We want them battling wheel-to-wheel," he added.

F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali spoke about how the new regulations for 2022 from FIA were to create closer racing and drivers could get closer to each other in attempts to overtake, he said, "The 2022 regulations from the FIA will create the conditions for closer racing where the cars can get closer to each other."

The new car and its specs

It’s been designed specifically to promote better racing.

The 2022 regulations, originally slated to arrive in 2021 but delayed by COVID9, had one guiding principle which was to allow closer racing, with the potential for more overtakes.

Preventing closer racing currently is the effect of the catastrophic downforce loss resulting from the ‘dirty air’ being churned chaotically off a leading car currently.

To put some numbers on it, research shows that current F1 machines lose 35% of their downforce when running three car lengths behind a leading car (approximately 20 metres, measured from the lead car’s nose to the following car’s nose), while closing up to one car length (around 10 metres) results in a 47% loss.

The 2022 car, developed by Formula 1's in-house Motorsports team in collaboration with the FIA, and putting a heavy onus on the aerodynamic phenomenon known as ‘ground effect’ (more on which later…), reduces those figures to 4% at 20 metres, rising to just 18% at 10 metres.

The 2022 car is developed by Formula 1's in-house Motorsports team in collaboration with the FIA, and puts a heavy onus on the aerodynamic phenomenon known as ‘ground effect’ reduces those figures to 4% at 20 metres, rising to just 18% at 10 metres.

The car will have over-wheel winglets and wheel covers are back. 

The inclusion of the latter is simple: sending airflow through the wheels might be an enormously potent way for teams to increase their downforce, but it also adds to that chaotic aerodynamic wake coming off the cars. As for the over-wheel winglets, their job is to help control the wake coming off the front tyres and direct it away from the rear wing.

The car will feature 18” wheels with low-profile tyres

The new Pirelli compounds and constructions for these 18” wheels have been designed with the goal of reducing the amount the tyres overheat when they slide – a primary aspect that should help with closer racing. The lower profile tyres also have the added benefit of reducing the sidewall deflection changes and the resulting aerodynamic wake effect that occurs.

The front wing and nose concept have been completely changed

The new front wing’s job is to both generate consistent downforce when running closely behind another car, and ensure that the front wheel wake is well controlled and directed down the car in the least disruptive way.

The rear wing features new ‘rolled tips’

The shape and position of the 2022 car’s rear wing create a rotational airflow that collects the rear wheel wake and rolls it into the flow exiting the diffuser.

(Image Credits: formula1.com)

F1 2022 car: Design specifications revealed as F1 aims for better racing