MORE RACES, SHORTER WEEKENDS
While reversed grids will not be introduced to shake-up the order, there is support for the new ‘sprint qualifying’ format, which could expand into 2022 if the three trial Saturday races in 2021 to determine the grid prove popular.
Other plans for 2022 include an expansion to 25 races but a reduction in activity from four to three days.
This means teams will arrive one day later and all media and sponsor work will take place on Friday morning (rather than on Thursday) followed by two one-hour practice sessions on Friday afternoon.
One of the biggest changes for 2022 will be a ‘run-what-ya-brung’ philosophy to the weekend. Cars will be scruntineered on Friday morning and that specification must be raced. Teams can still bring upgrades to test, such as a revised front wing, but they can only be run in Friday practice and all cars must return to their race spec on Saturday morning. It’s to avoid multiple iterations of wings being built.
In addition teams must run two practice sessions in the year with a driver who has competed in two grands prix or fewer, to allow more chance for younger racers to get behind the wheel. Every team must follow this policy, so they’ll be opportunities for between 10 and 20 young drivers to showcase their talents in the public eye.
There are further changes to address sustainability, by increasing the biocontent element of the fuel, phasing out tyre blankets and ensuring circuits reduce their use of plastics. The changes to the cars, with enhanced safety absorption, prescribed parts and larger wheels will take their overall weight up by 25kg to 768kg. In conjunction with the reduced aero, speeds of next year’s machines are predicted to be three seconds a lap slower. But with a closer, more competitive field racing cars able to overtake, who will notice?
“Fans want to see a drivers’ battle” Ross Brawn