As a result of Mercedes’ poor start to the 2022 Formula 1 season, they will have the possibility of using more wind tunnel testing in the second part of the championship. This is because of the rules and regulation regarding the aerodynamic testing restrictions [ATR] in Formula 1 which will be applied for the second half of the year, according to the Constructors’ standings at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix.
The decision to introduce the aerodynamic testing restrictions was made last season and had the goal of helping bring the field closer together by limiting the amount of aerodynamic and CFD [computational fluid dynamics] item tests with the equivalent of a ‘success penalty’.
Basically, the lower a team is rankedin the Constructors’ standings, the more time they are permitted to use the wind tunnel and test CFD items.
This comes in opposition with the current situation, as Mercedes had been allotted the lowest amount of wind tunnel runs in the first half of 2022 given the fact that they were in front of the Constructors’ standings last season, at 70% of the agreed limit of 320 runs. Based on this data, Mercedes were allowed to only use the wind tunnel 224 times during the last 24 weeks, compared to a limit of 368 for Haas, who last season was not able to score any points and finished last in the table.
However, the poor performance showed by Mercedes in this first half of the 2022 F1 campaign will increase their allowance to 80%, which will offer them an extra 32 chances to evaluate and test new aerodynamic components in the wind tunnel during the second half of the year, as well as 200 more CFD items, as per Appendix 7 of this year’s sporting regulations.
Given that Red Bull and Scuderia Ferrari proved the best in 2022 so far, the rules and restrictions will also have the opposite impact on these two teams, as their P1 and P2 in the standings means their wind tunnel use will be reduced.
But the team most affected by the ATR reset is Alfa Romeo, as their improved performances in the 2022 Formula One championship have moved them up three positions as compared to their performance in the final standings of the previous season, therefore leaving them without 48 runs in the wind tunnel and 300 CFD items.
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In a similar way, a drop of two places for Williams sees them able to use 115% of the testing limit as they look to climb back towards the rest of the pack.
ATR allowances from 1 July [Constructors’ Championship change from 1 January in brackets]
Red Bull [up 1] – 70% of testing limit [224 wind tunnel uses] Scuderia Ferrari [up 1] – 75% [240] Mercedes [down 2] – 80% [256] McLaren [no change] – 85% [272] Alpine [no change] – 90% [288] Alfa Romeo [up 3] – 95% [304] AlphaTauri [down 1] – 100% [320] Aston Martin [down 1] – 105% [336] Haas [up 1] – 110% [352] Williams [down 2] – 115% [368]
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