As Formula 1 teams are very close to finalizing their new cars for the 2022 championship, there still is some hope that the limitations introduced with the new technical regulations will not lead to completely identical designs for the new generation of challengers.
Despite the fact that there are a lot of restrictions regarding the shape of the bodywork, it is hoped that there is enough scope for each team to have their own interpretations, a situation which will make the cars look different. However, given that teams are expected to make rapid progress in finding the ideal options and solutions adopted by their competitors, there is a good possibility, as confirmed by Ferrari racing director Laurent Mekies, that the cars could look much more the same once the rules move in to their second year.
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“There is less freedom, definitely. We are all excited, because it’s going to be completely different compared to [2021]. But how different the cars will be from each other? We will see. I think the first go at it, we may see enough difference to our liking, all of us. I think the first go at it, you say: ‘OK, that’s not too bad.’ But then I think the question we all need to ask ourselves is once six months have passed, and more importantly, once one year has passed, so once you have redone your car for 2023, will we all turn out to have exactly the same? I’m not telling you that it’s not enough yet. I’m just telling you, let’s have a good look, including the media and, in early 2023, to see if there is still enough differentiations and room for teams to make a difference.” – he explained, as reported by motorsport.com
The new sporting and technical regulations for the 2022 championship led to fears when they were first announced that all the cars would look the same from the off. Despite the fact that a final verdict on this issue will not be possible until teams have all launched their definitive cars next month, the FIA is confident that there will be as much variation between designs as there has been in recent years.
Nikolas Tombazis, who is the head of single seater matters at the governing body, explained a few months ago he was optimistic that 2022 cars would not be identical to each other for with the ability to spot the details: “It is difficult to say, because it depends on how expert your eye is and your point of reference. I will point out that with the current [pre-2022] generation cars, when actually the conversation [about new rules] was had in 2019, were all rendered to be white and shown to team members like teams principals and so on. Not all of them could get all the cars right and say which cars were which. So even current [2021] cars look quite similar, and it’s difficult to say at what point they start looking different. I think you will be able to recognise different cars if you’re sufficiently expert in Formula 1.” – he concluded.
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