Stefano Domenicali, the current CEO of Formula One Group, has admitted that one or more teams may be able to find a loophole as the sport introduces new regulations overhaul from 2022. The new Formula 1 cars will look and also feel very different as compared to theri 2021 predecessors, with the goal of making overtaking easier and therefore re-capturing the lost art of close, competitive racing between the current 10 teams on the grid.
Every time the rule book changes, it represents a big chance for the designers and engineers behind the scenes to come up with solutions and innovations which are are better then what rivals brought to the track, while still being completely compliant with the new regulations due to a so-called loophole.
The best example that comes to mind is Brawn’s double diffuser introduction that proved decisive in winning the 2009 Formula One World Championship and Stefano Domenicali is aware no one can anticipare that a similar outcome does not occur this season.
“That could be the case” – Stefano Domenicali said, in a recent interview for Sport 1 – “Because with new rules you never know if a team has found a loophole.” – he added.
However, despite the fact that exploiting loopholes are not completely off the table, the former Ferrari boss actually feels that unexpected strong performance from teams which have been involved in midfield fights during the last years could come instead by following different development solutions with their cars over the course of the championship.
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Stefano Domenicali explained: “I rather expect that one or two teams have taken a different development direction than that they have found a loophole in the regulations.”
Formula 1 unveiled a 2022 show car last summer, when the 2021 British Grand Prix was held at Silverstone but, rather unsurprisingly, Stefano Domenicali has heard on the grapevine that some of the 2022 challengers are going to look very different compared to what we saw at that moment:
“The cars should enable the drivers to drive closer behind each other and thus to duel with each other even more intensively. If you ask me whether we will see an extremely tight field from the first race, I don’t think so. But due to the restrictions on the further development of the cars and the budget cap, the gap should close faster. In any case, I’m really looking forward to the new cars. I’ve been told that some of them will look different from the model we presented at Silverstone. I am curious myself.” – the former Ferrari boss conluded.
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