F1 | New testing limits proposed to avoid war in 2025

Over the past few years, many Formula 1 teams have increased their testing, but not with current cars, but with cars that are at least two years old.

The Formula 1 regulations, in fact, provide for several types of tests: on the one hand, those with cars from the current season, which are limited to a few sessions agreed upon by all the teams, and those with single-seaters that are already at least two years old compared to the current championship, thus falling within the TPC (Test Previous Cars). The tests of the TPC cars have no limits regarding mileage, location and number of days in which to test the single-seater, which makes them an ideal tool to give young drivers the opportunity to train and become familiar with a real car directly on the track.

However, Motorsport.com has learned that Formula 1 teams are also discussing limiting the number of tests with ground-effect cars that fall into the TPC category, so as not to create a war between the teams in 2025.

With the F1 grid becoming increasingly competitive and increasingly close to the limit in terms of new aerodynamic solutions, the focus is shifting above all to the fine-tuning of mechanical setups. While each car clearly has its own specific characteristics, the teams have understood that testing with older cars can still represent a potential advantage to try something different, in order to also have a comparison with some ideas tested in the simulator.

According to the regulations, TPCs include those single-seaters that have run in “any of the three calendar years immediately preceding the calendar year preceding the championship year”. This means that for 2024, the teams were also able to use the 2022 cars in testing, the first of the ground effect generation, therefore closer to the current machines.

Some teams are using old cars to help prepare young drivers, both with a view to a possible Formula 1 debut, as happened with Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the 2022 W13 and Jack Doohan in the Alpine A522, but also to accumulate useful mileage for simulator work, as happened with Artur Leclerc and Oliver Bearman at Ferrari, who had the opportunity to drive the F1-75.

Other teams, however, have used the opportunity to run their 2022 cars to gain a bigger advantage over the season. The best example of this is Red Bull, who, ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, resurrected the RB18 to run Max Verstappen at Imola, a track where this year’s RB20 had shown its limitations in attacking the kerbs. The rules are quite restrictive on what can be modified from the previous car, so much so that no sensors, instruments or test software that could in any way provide information relating to the current championship’s cars are allowed.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

However, setup changes are allowed, which can be invaluable as current cars often operate within a very narrow window and this still allows for some alternative solutions to be explored.

The aim of that specific test, as later explained by the Anglo-Austrian team itself, was to help increase understanding of the mechanical issues that were negatively impacting the car’s behaviour, by making a comparison with an older car. A problem that the three-time world champion had been complaining about for some time, so Red Bull took advantage of the opportunity to experiment with something different.

The potential development opportunities afforded by this type of testing have raised concerns among rival teams, and Motorsport.com has learned that the topic was raised at the final F1 Commission meeting before the summer break, with some teams considering expanding their programmes with older cars, providing more consistency in on-track action, to run tests with their own staff for 2025.

However, there was a fear that a full-blown war would also arise off the track, especially bearing in mind that not all teams can afford to run the old cars with any regularity. For this reason, the teams have spoken about the possibility of also putting a stop to testing with the TPC cars, a category that the 2023 cars should also fall into from next year. Discussions are now underway between the teams and the FIA ​​at Sporting Advisory Committee level, with it being likely that several key elements will be added to next year’s regulations.

Arthur Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Davide Cavazza

Although no final decision has been made, the basic idea would be to place limits on several aspects, starting with the fact that it is not possible to take to the track on any circuit on the calendar in the 60 days preceding the Grand Prix held on that same track. Also on the table is the proposal to reduce to just four days (or 1000 kilometers in total) of testing for official drivers, with a potential limit of 20 days in total allowed for TPC tests of the season, thus still giving young drivers and simulator staff the opportunity to ride and gain experience.

From this very point of view, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur explained how fundamental it is to try to divide the tests with the previous cars to help the rookies gain experience and the tests aimed at improving their understanding of the car and development. It is clear that, in reality, even the simulator drivers and the young drivers could be useful to understand something more about the car, but they do not want to take away the opportunity for the rookies to be able to drive more consistently, given the few opportunities foreseen during the year.

“You can differentiate the TPC (Test of Previous Cars) that you do with the official drivers because this, for me, is more of a development job, especially when you do a TPC a week before a race,” said Vasseur.

“I’m not complaining about them [Red Bull]. It’s provided for in the regulation and that’s fine, but it’s more development than anything else. If we have to control, we’ll have to divide the two aspects: The days we do with our drivers and the days we do with our non-official drivers.”