Ferrari one of four teams to get reduced amount of testing

Ferrari one of four teams to get reduced amount of testing. Ferrari one of four teams to get reduced amount of testing.

F1 aero rakes: Rob Smedley explains the technology behind aero rakes and what they do | Formula 1®

Mercedes is one of four Formula 1 teams that will be able to conduct an increased amount of aerodynamic testing during the second half of 2021 as a result of the mid-year readjustment of allowances, according to the-race.com. Aston Martin, Alpine and Haas will also benefit from this, while Red Bull, Scuderia Ferrari, AlphaTauri and Williams will get a reduced amount of testing thanks to being ranked higher in the constructors’ championship than they were at the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season.

The new-for-2021 aerodynamic testing regulations (ATR) laid out in Appendix 8 of Formula 1’s sporting regulations set a limit for windtunnel testing (RWTT) of 40 runs per week and CFD testing (RCFD) of 2000 items per ATR test period.

The year is divided into six ATR periods, the majority of which are effectively eight-week blocks. The block including the summer break covers 10 weeks, but includes two weeks of shutdown. The first block runs from January 1 to the end of week nine, with the last finishing on December 31. The ATR also acts as an aero development handicap system. The team ranked lowest in the championship is allowed more than the minimum and the highest less with only the team ranked fifth in the constructors’ championship operating exactly on the permitted allowance, with each team ranked higher or lower having their allocation adjusted in 2.5% increments.

For the first six months of the year, this was based on last year’s constructors’ championship finishing position. But the allowances are reset at the end of June based on the current points standings, with the recent Styrian Grand Prix the last race impacting that.

The biggest changes are in the midfield, with Ferrari and AlphaTauri both climbing two places and both Alpine and Aston Martin dropping two. That means a gain/loss of two windtunnel runs per week and 100 CFD items per eight-week period.

Teams are devoting the vast majority of their aerodynamic testing to the new cars built to the 2022 regulations, meaning that this is unlikely to have a significant impact on this season. But it will influence the research and development programmes for next year’s car.

The ATR will be reset again at the end of the year based on the final constructors’ championships, but with the increments between teams doubled to 5%.