No more lift and coast in qualifying: what simulations of the new rules show
The package of regulatory changes introduced for Miami is the result of extensive simulations, which McLaren decided to share with the press. From these simulations, it emerges that the cars will be only a few tenths slower per lap, and above all that qualifying should return to a more traditional format. Lift and coast on a flying lap is expected to become a distant memory, increasing the opportunities for drivers to make the difference under braking.
How qualifying changes
According to the simulations, from Miami onwards drivers will no longer need to lift off the throttle in qualifying. The reduction in energy that can be recovered each lap, combined with the ability to recharge at maximum power even at full throttle, will prevent drivers from having to lift before the braking point.
“There should no longer be lift and coast in qualifying,” says Mark Temple, Technical Director-Performance at McLaren. This should also eliminate the sudden deceleration caused by lifting off the throttle, forcing drivers to rely more heavily on the brakes. Andrea Stella comments: “I hope that after these regulatory tweaks we will see even more of a battle in terms of braking as late as possible.”
Another effect will be a reduction in clipping phases, counterbalanced by a slight loss of electric motor assistance, since less energy can be recovered and deployed per lap. However, Temple reassures that the performance loss will be marginal: “The loss is relatively small, I would say a few tenths depending on the circuit. In qualifying it comes from a slight reduction in straight-line performance.”
In addition, in race conditions there will be a reduction in electric power from 350 to 250 kW in certain areas. Temple reveals that these are the sections taken with closed aerodynamics: “In the race we will have reduced power in areas where active aerodynamics is not used. We will lose a bit of time there, but we will also use less energy, which we can exploit elsewhere. Overall, I would say [it’s about] 2–3 tenths.”
The cars will be slower mainly on the straights, but according to Temple this will not influence development choices: “There is a small performance loss from the power unit on the straights, which slightly increases sensitivity to aerodynamic drag, but we are talking about a very small effect. I don’t think it will have any impact on the direction of development.”
More difficult overtaking, but in the right places
Among the agreed changes are also measures aimed at reducing speed differences between cars in racing conditions, mainly by limiting the effectiveness of the Boost mode. Mark Temple explains what will change: “Power is at maximum at the start of the straight and then begins to drop. Previously, if you pressed the Boost button, you got the full 350 kW, whereas now the effect is reduced: either you stay at the reduced power level or you go back up to 150 kW if you are below that.”
The rule will also apply in closed-aero sections where electric power will be limited to 250 kW, a threshold that Boost cannot exceed anyway. Activating it will therefore provide a smaller speed gain, making overtaking in these zones unlikely. Temple continues: “Overtaking will be more difficult in those areas, but that is the goal. The idea is that if you cannot open the active aerodynamics there, then it is not an appropriate place to overtake. […] I think we will see fewer opportunistic overtakes in those unusual spots, but I believe it is the right compromise for safety. Overtaking on the main straights, however, will hardly be affected.”
Hidden changes
Finally, further adjustments to electric power delivery rules will also be introduced in Miami. These were not mentioned in the FIA press release but could make driving more intuitive in qualifying. Andrea Stella explains: “There are some peculiar aspects of the current regulations related to how much the throttle is pressed or partially released. Some of these will be removed with changes that have not been widely publicised, but they are part of this package.”
Mark Temple goes into more detail: “There was a subtle range between 95 and 98% throttle where a scenario would trigger ‘power limited’, but not ‘power limited pending’. This has now been closed and both modes start at the same point. That specific oddity should be gone.”
Another change concerns the point on track at the end of the formation lap in qualifying where the electric motor engages: “Now it will be simpler for the driver, because they will no longer have to wait with partial throttle before going full throttle. It will feel a bit more natural.”
Overall, the simulations outline a positive picture after the changes, although there is an awareness that further adjustments may still be needed. Temple concludes: “The strangest and most counterintuitive aspects, such as when lifting off the throttle makes you inefficient and you want to get back on power, should have been eliminated, or at least the goal is to remove as many as possible. There may be things we have not foreseen that we will need to review.”
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