Wheel covers make tyre changes more difficult: slower pit stops expected in 2022. slower pit stops expected in 2022.

Teams are expecting slower pit stops for the 2022 Formula One season, as the wheel covers will cause problems for the mechanics to grip. In addition, the wheels are heavier. But it is not yet clear how big the time loss will be, according to German automobile magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

The time of pit stop records is over. Changing a tyre in 2.1 seconds, as Max Verstappen did at the Turkish Grand Prix, is already considered a feat. Times of under two seconds are practically no longer possible since the corresponding technical directive came into force at the Belgian GP, while anything under three seconds is a good stop today.

But the bad ones are piling up. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Monza, Daniel Ricciardo and Lance Stroll in Sochi, Carlos Sainz in Istanbul. Ever since the mechanics had to press a button to confirm that their work was finished after removing the impact wrench, things have been going bad at times: often because the mechanics press too early out of old habit. The system does not accept this.

All wheels come from BBS
Next year, the pit stops will take even longer, the teams fear. Some say by a few tenths, others by over a second. This time it is not a new regulation that is to blame, but the technology. The 18-inch wheels together with their tyres are significantly heavier than their counterparts on the 13-inch rims. By about 2.5 kilograms at the front, 3.5 at the rear. And they are a tad larger.

In addition, the rims are covered on the outside. The cover is a regulation and a standard part like the wheels themselves. In 2022, all teams order the standard wheel from the supplier BBS. The clearly regulated cover is not only supposed to look chic and fit into the image of a futuristic racing car, but also serve an aerodynamic purpose. It is supposed to prevent the teams from trickery.

The biggest fear of the creators of the new regulations is that someone somewhere on the car will find a way to generate air vortices and use them to seal the side of the underbody. This would have the effect of the plastic aprons from the first Venturi era between 1978 and 1982. The exact specification of the rims and the apron in front of them is intended to ensure that no intentionally generated air vortices escape to the outside from the wheels.

New training for 2022
However, the cover gets in the way of the mechanics holding the wheel. They can no longer reach into the wheel with their fingers. Some teams have already changed their training for the 2022 rules in order to get used to the new requirements.

Different muscle groups are required from the body when they pull the tyres, which will then weigh around 23 kilograms, off the wheel carrier or heave them back on. Because of the higher weight, the larger span and the new grip points.