Is Merc boss crying Wolff?
MERCEDES PROBLEM: IF A CAR IS DANGEROUS, A TEAM SHOULDN’T FIELD IT, SAYS HORNER
Introduction of a new car format has caused problems.
As a Formula 1 scribe of advanced age, I have witnessed myriad changes to the rules and regulations over many seasons – some rather interesting, many incomprehensible and a number rather dubious.
Most were introduced with the objective of improving the sport, but unfortunately many have created further issues.
The introduction of a new car format this year, designed to create closer racing and more overtaking, has caused issues for a few teams, particularly the previously dominant Mercedes, who are struggling with the 2022 contender, the W13.
By now you will be aware of the cars’ porpoising and bouncing phenomena and the subsequent heated discussions between team managers, in an effort to resolve the issues.
Brackley team chief Toto Wolff is at the centre of it, strongly requesting urgent intervention by the FIA to review design issues of the new car believed to be causing the problem and then issue a Technical Directive allowing a mid-season regulation change.
On the other hand you have Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Mattia Binotto of Scuderia Ferrari, who both agree such a solution would be unfair to teams who have already found a solution.
At a team principals’ meeting on the Saturday prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, the proverbial hit the fan, with Wolff claiming Mercedes rivals are being “disingenuous”, playing “political games” and being guilty of “manipulations in the background”.
Horner has said the problem is a Mercedes’ issue and not every other teams, therefore the introduction of a FIA technical directive at this point of the season would punish those teams.
He was reported as saying: “You can’t just suddenly change technical regulations halfway through a season. If a car is dangerous, a team shouldn’t field it. It has that choice. Or if the FIA feel an individual car is dangerous, they always have a black flag at their disposal.”
Another interesting situation is the aerodynamic testing restrictions (ATR) introduced last year, in yet another attempt to close up the field.
The concept limits the amount of aerodynamic and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) testing available to a team, based on its performance, but with a difference – the more successful the team, the less wind tunnel and CFD opportunities you have.
Reviewed at the season halfway point it produces some interesting results. Mercedes started the year with the lowest amount of both having won the Constructors title in 2021.
However, due to the recent drop in performance results, the German team will now be eligible for an extra 32 tests of new aero parts in the tunnel and a further 200 extra CFD items. Unfortunately due to improved performance so far this season Ferrari, Red Bull and Alfa Romeo will have less time, Alfa losing 48 wind tunnel runs and 300 CFD items. I understand the concept but it is rather odd to punish the innovation of F1 engineers.