CAN ANYONE SPRING A BRAWN-LIKE SURPRISE?

The change in technical regulations in 2017 largely retained the status quo, given that the aerodynamic components remained much the same in intent (notwithstanding Ferrari’s improved form), but 2009’s change was arguably larger given the restrictions placed on the overall aero package. Back then, Brawn rose from the ashes of Honda and shocked the F1 field with its highly effective BGP 001, while Red Bull became frontguard mainstays after four years of toiling in the midfield. Conversely, Mclaren and Ferrari were perhaps hamstrung by their fight for the 2008 title, and both teams limped out of the gate at the start of the year.

Although the success of the Brawn is commonly put down to the double-diffuser, it was also one of the first teams to recognise the importance of the outwash front wing, producing one of the more extreme variants of its front endplate design. Like the doublediffuser, turning the airflow out with the front-wing endplates proved to be one of the most important steps at the start of the season; Mclaren and Renault tried to persevere with an inwashing endplate that proved to be ineffective with the wider wing.

Given the 2022 changes are similar in magnitude to those in 2009, we can assume that there will be a few design ideas that will prove crucial (and controversial) in the early season. They’ll be widely copied, sure, but the innovators will have those designs ingrained in the concept of the cars. What chance an unfancied team happens upon one of the key design features, and uses the momentum to carry it to heights it seldom reaches?

It’s happened before, and it can happen again. Over to you, Haas…