F1 2022: six things to look forward to in the new season

Starting from scratch with this year’s models, the sweeping changes in regulations are based on an attempt to shift a significant amount of downforce generation from aerodynamic parts to the floor of the car, through the use of ground effect. The intent is to push the wash of dirty air upwards, away from following cars so they can better close on one another. Intriguingly, the interpretation of the rules has varied across the paddock, not least with Mercedes’s radical sidepod design, already catching attention and potentially protests at its legality. Some will have got it right, but for those who have chosen the wrong path a long season of furious catch-up awaits.

The main purpose of these new designs and the exhaustive work Formula One put in over four years into drafting the rules is to improve opportunities for overtaking. If they work, cars should be able to move up to make a pass, avoiding the loss of downforce that turbulent air creates, though their ability to slipstream will also have been diminished. Early signs from testing were that there was cautious optimism from the drivers and some scepticism from engineers but the success or otherwise (do not expect DRS to disappear any time soon) of F1’s efforts will not be truly seen until race day in Bahrain.

Pirelli is bringing in an entirely new tyre this season, switching from the 13-inch wheels used in F1 for more than three decades. This year the cars feature 18-inch wheels, the wider diameter bringing them into line with road cars, and the tyres are larger but with a smaller sidewall. Once more, here the hope is they will flex less, increasing stability and reducing overheating when drivers attempt to overtake. Pirelli expects the degradation rate to fall as