Sliding scale for windtunnel development approved for 2021 season

Formula 1 has rubber-stamped new regulations for the 2021 season that will result in a sliding scale rule for aerodynamic development.

Under the new agreement the lower down a team finishes in the Constructors’ Championship the more wind tunnel time they will be permitted.

A standard rate of 40 wind tunnel runs per week will be permitted, with a linear sliding scale depending on where a team classifies.

The champions will be permitted 90 per cent of that allocation, and that will increase by increments of 2.5 per cent through to last place, which will receive 112.5 per cent.

RelatedPosts

How the Austrian GP cemented F1 2025 as a two-horse race

8 hours ago

Toto Wolff: Kimi Antonelli’s ‘unfortunate’ Austria F1 error ‘can happen to the greats’

9 hours ago

That would equate to 36 runs for Mercedes and 45 for Williams, working off of 2019 positions.

Any new team will receive the same as the worst-performing squad on the grid.

From 2022 through to 2025 that co-efficient will be further modified.

The best team will receive only 70 per cent of the allocation, and that will increase by increments of 5 per cent through to the worst squad, which will have 115 per cent.

Further alterations have also been made to the 2020 and 2021 regulations in a bid to reduce costs and level the playing field.

There will be limitations to power unit development while from 2021 the minimum weight of the cars will increase further by 3kg, to 749kg.

While Formula 1 teams will retain the same cars for the 2021 season as in 2020 a tweak has been made to the regulations in order to simplify the floor area.

This is in a bid to moderate the expected increase of downforce that teams will find between 2020 and 2021, with Pirelli concerned about further load on tyres that were designed to 2019 levels.