Drivers enjoy ‘go-kart fun’ of new F1 rules
‘‘IT’S pretty much like a gokart race,’’ was Esteban Ocon’s assessment of Formula 1 racing this season with a new generation of car after last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The ‘‘fun’’ the Frenchman talked about the drivers enjoying in Jeddah is the result of new regulations that mostly relate to aerodynamics and make overtaking much easier.
The rules have been designed to improve racing as a spectacle and met Ocon’s approval after the Alpine driver enjoyed a tussle on the street circuit with Fernando Alonso, his team-mate.
‘‘It was a lot of fun. It’s a completely different philosophy now racing with these cars.’’
Charles Leclerc was equally excited, despite losing out on a win in the closing laps to his championship rival Max Verstappen. ‘‘Oh my God, I really enjoyed that race,’’ the Ferrari driver said.
‘‘Every race should be like this. It was fun, I liked racing like this and it was much easier to follow than I initially thought.’’
To watch the drivers battle it out made for great viewing on Sunday and there was a sense that it would not have been possible with the previous generation of cars. The first impression is that these new regulations really have made a difference.
Leclerc, who leads the championship after two races, was vying with Verstappen for several laps, the pair exchanging places at the front with the aid of DRS (drag reduction system) until eventually Verstappen came out on top.
Under the previous regulations, when the pursuing car got within three lengths of the car in front, it lost about one third of its downforce, and within one length it lost almost half. Now when a car is within three car lengths, it loses less than 5 per cent of its downforce and when it is within one, it loses about 20 per cent.
Downforce is essential in any overtaking manoeuvre because it is what keeps the car on the track, along with the grip from the tyres, and allows the drivers to push without the fear of sliding off the track. The new rules changed how downforce was created, so instead of the front and rear wing pushing the car into the track, it is now largely generated by the floor of the car – the so-called ‘‘groundforce effect’’.
The downside of having ground effect cars is the sight of them porpoising – bouncing or hopping.
This is caused when the air rushes between the track and front wing and is funnelled through two tunnels in the floor, sucking the car ever closer to the track until it stalls and the car bounces back up. This air-flow problem tends to repeat, making it look as though the cars – especially the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell – are bouncing on the straights. However, while the aerodynamic changes may have improved racing in these early stages, several drivers have complained that the tyres are affecting performance. That is one reason why the number of overtaking manoeuvres in Bahrain and Saudi this year was broadly similar to last season. ‘‘The cars are better to follow, it just depends on the tyre,’’ Verstappen said. ‘‘The hard tyre was capable of following closer but the other compounds – and this depends on the track – just fall apart.
It is still early days with these regulations but on the basis of the first two races, it does appear to be better racing, but there are still some issues that need to be ironed out.