The new generation of cars for the 2022 Formula 1 championship, which are based on ground effect, have marked a departure in aero concept from the cars we have seen in the last few years and have resulted in cars with completely different features and characteristics.
The issue of car porpoising has become particularly prevalent after the first few races of the 2022 F1 campaign, but at the same time one of the main consequences of the new rules and regulation, alongside an increase in weight due to several new safety measures, is that the 2022 F1 cars tend to understeer a lot more, especially at slow speed.
This characteristic goes against the driving style of some Formula 1 drivers which have expressed their dissatisfaction, especially Max Verstappen, as the Red Bull Dutchman openly admitted many times that he would rather prefer a car that has a very pointy front end.
Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has noted this situation and has recently confirmed that for the next season it is focusing on introducing a much stronger front tyre which will help better balance the cars, as explained by Mario Isola, the Pirelli head of Formula 1 and car racing:
“We already have in mind that some improvement for next year. Last year, we didn’t have the opportunity to test the new tyres with the current cars, but with the mule cars, and they were slightly different. We have now a better idea on what to do on tyres for next year: to improve the front, especially because we have a very strong rear tyre and that is generating a bit of understeer in slow speed.” – the Pirelli boss explained.
Mario Isola also pointed out that until this season, Pirelli could only use mule cars to test its new tyres. While the mule cars were created to behave like the new generation of challengers, the different way that downforce was generated in fact masked the understeer characteristic of ground effect cars:
“The mule cars were using the aero package that was from 2021, so this ground effect was not so relevant. What we know from the current cars is that they are generating a lot more downforce at high speed, less in low speed. And the balance is slightly different.” – he continued.
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When asked by Motorsport about the main reason that led to this understeer, Mario Isola explained:
“If you want a percent, it’s very difficult to give you a percentage. What I can say is that when we designed the current tyres, last year, based the balance on the mule cars, clearly the mule cars were more towards understeer. The weight is not helping. But everybody knows that: it’s not a criticism, it’s necessary to have this additional weight. With the mule cars, the weight was the same as the current car, as we asked the teams to put some ballast in order to achieve the same weight and the same weight balance. But the aero package was completely different. That was the main difference compared to the current cars, and that is what is probably going to generate the understeer. Most of that understeer is due to the aero package. But we can react, designing for next year a slightly different front tyre to balance the car, and we are testing it now with the current cars.” – the Pirelli head of Formula 1 and car racing concluded.
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