The regulatory revolution that the technical departments of the Formula 1 teams have had to face represents the most demanding challenge of the last twenty years. The tools available to engineers today make it possible to simulate and verify many solutions in the virtual world, a scenario that drastically reduces the possibility of taking the wrong paths in interpreting the new rules.
However, Mercedes CTO James Allison suspects that one or two teams will have the bitter surprise of finding cars with bad choices.
According to Allison, the enormous change dictated by the new technical regulation makes it not easy to identify all the ideal solutions at the first approach, and he will not be surprised if some incorrect interpretations emerge in the first tests of the year (scheduled in Barcelona from 23 to 25 February).
James Allison, CTO Mercedes
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
“The first challenge we faced, like all the other teams – said Allison – was finding the best design that allows this regulation. It’s a challenge, and the start of the season will tell us who is on the right path. “
“Since those we will see will be completely new single-seaters, I imagine that one or two cars will be different, and that they may turn out to be children of wrong philosophies. And for them it will be a very, very painful year to face.”
“I think we all left some ideas and interpretations on the road that we couldn’t foresee, and when we see something that works on another car we will say ‘oh, why didn’t we think about it?’. And here the race will start. bring the best solutions to your car, so I expect a season that will be very demanding for the technical departments, we will not be able to afford to sleep too much “.
The F1 2022 show car in Mercedes version
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Allison is known for being one of the most competitive and determined engineers in the paddock, and obviously faced with a new and demanding challenge like the one that involved the creation of the 2022 single-seaters, he certainly did not hold back.
“In front of these scenarios we know that there is a lot of work but also the fun and the taste of a challenge – he commented – the first is undoubtedly that of knowing how to read the rules and find technical opportunities, so you need intelligence and practical sense, because in the end it is necessary to decide on a single-seater that is efficient from all points of view “.
“The new regulation – concluded Allison – is often double the previous one. It is complex, but there are opportunities and with them also risks to be taken. We have to make our way as if we were in a minefield, find the right way between potential dangers, in the hope of finding ourselves competitive and in the front rows. The definitive answer always comes from the track ”.
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