Formula 1 wants to simplify the gearbox rules for the 2022 season. Most fans should have internalized the old guidelines well by now. According to this, a gearbox has so far simply had to hold six races in a row. In free practice, the teams were allowed to use so-called “Friday gearboxes”, which were not covered by the rule.
In the event of a failure in a race, the teams were allowed to install a new one for the following Grand Prix weekend. If one of the sealed racing gearboxes broke prematurely, for example at George Russell’s Mexico weekend, it would result in a starting place penalty. The driver in question then moved back five positions.
In the sporting regulations for the 2022 season, the transmission rules have been completely redrafted. Accordingly, the gearbox will no longer have to hold a certain number of races in a row in the future. Instead, there is a so-called pool solution, as is also known from the drive unit elements.
The power transmission is divided into the gearbox casing (“case”) and the gearbox innards (“driveline” and “gear change components”). The teams have now agreed that both can be changed four times in the coming season. The last draft of the sporting regulations for 2022 still states that only three elements of the shell may be used per season.
Incidentally, if the number of races increases to 24 or more at some point, the cogs can be swapped five times. When used for the first time, the gearboxes are sealed by the FIA. As with the power units, gearboxes from the existing pool must be used in all sessions. Seen over the season, the mileage of each transmission unit increases slightly.
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Incidentally, nothing changes in the penalties compared to the current transmission rule. If a driver goes beyond the allowed contingent, he has to go back five positions on the starting grid. This penalty will also be applied to any further violation.
There is only one opponent of this pool solution among the ten teams. Aston Martin would like to completely unblock the number of gearboxes: “We have to work under a tight budget anyway. If a team wants to spend their money on more gearboxes, it is missing elsewhere. You wouldn’t have the trouble with the penalties for that,” says team manager Andy Stevenson, explaining his own position.
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