The future Formula 1 seasons towards the 2025 campaign will be characterized by a continuity in terms of power unit regulations. Unlike the technical specifications relating to the aerodynamic area, which will undergo slight changes during the next world championship, the development of the components regarding the power unit were frozen on 1st September last year.
Some manufacturers such as the historic Ferrari team (and probably Alpine) have exploited the rule that allows for reliability changes to be made, with the clear objective of being able to compete in the entire 2023 Formula One world championship in full compliance with the limits imposed by the International Federation.
Everything would suggest that the divisions dedicated to the design and development of power units are completely focused on the study of the new architecture that will debut in 2026, as well as to the management of recurring activities related to the 2023 F1 season. However, observing the technical regulations with a close view, components subject to minimal changes have been identified.
The rules and regulation specifies that the modifications must in no way provide an advantage in terms of performance. In essence, however, the regulation provides manufacturers with a minimum degree of freedom with regard to the components involved in installing the power unit on the single-seater chassis.
The strict limits imposed by the F1 governing body have frozen the development of the “core” components of the turbo-hybrid units. However the package of allowed changes are by no means minimal. They probably do not contribute to providing a direct performance advantage, but they can still become strategic in terms of aerodynamic setting of the project.
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While having to respect fundamental parameters such as diameter and length, the positioning of certain components may affect the design of the single-seater and its center of gravity. The possibility of being able to arrange the “auxiliary” components of the car, through a layout that can accommodate the best aerodynamic configuration, could therefore continue to be an area through which to indirectly extract a lot of potential from the aerodynamic design of the cars.
These factors can further help to save the overall weight of the single-seater. The need to minimize the weight of cars, in fact, in order to be able to balance the kilograms again through the aid of the ballast, could require the use of new materials for the construction of all the elements of the power unit excluded from the development freeze”.
A further consideration should be made on the gearbox, a part of the cars that can offer important advantages in terms of performance. All manufacturers will try to maximize the size and weight of the transmission, according to the strategic placement of the mechanical component between the floor and the rear elements.
In the past, the size of the gearbox was functional to the superior aerodynamics of the single-seater, maximizing the upper surface of the slide available to the aerodynamic flow in the final part of the Coca-Cola area, as explained by funoanalisitecnica.com.
With the return of ground effect cars, the geometry of the underfloor can be decisive in the overall aerodynamic efficiency of the car, an area affected by the changes introduced in the 2023 technical regulation which provide for the raising of the “floor edge” by 15 mm.
During the very long freeze of naturally aspirated V8s, which ended in 2014 with the advent of turbo hybrid engines, despite the freezing of technical regulations, Adrian Newey amazed the sport by resorting to the principle of the Coanda effect for the exhaust system. An element that made Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull RB7 fly.
We can bet that, in the near future, through their innovative ideas, the engineers of various teams will once again be able to resort to some tricks to enjoy important performance advantages. This despite a regulation that appears to be very restrictive.
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