Formula 1 design guru Adrian Newey hypothesises that the series has found itself “close to the limit” of the current regulations.
F1 introduced the current ground effect rules cycle in 2022 with the upcoming season the last under the current technical regulations before wholesale changes in 2026.
While 2022 and ’23 saw one team dominate for the majority of races in the form of Red Bull, last year saw the field tighten up considerably, especially at the front.
Seven different drivers won races on multiple occasions, an F1 first and those drivers represented four different Constructors: Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes.
Exemplifying the tight pecking order in 2024 was qualifying and the top six in the final two qualifying sessions of last year were covered by just half a second.
As teams fought tightly for supremacy up and down the field, several encountered developmental issues from balance problems to instability and bouncing.
Instability natural when pushing the boundaries of ground effect – Newey
Newey, whose F1 career began in the previous ground effect era in the early 1980s told Auto Motor und Sport: “It’s in the nature of things. A ground-effect car without side-sealing skirts like in the 80s will always be prone to instability.
“You’re looking for more and more vacuum under the car, but you’re always struggling with leakage from the side,” he explained.
“This generates downforce losses here and there, which are all the greater the lower your car sits.”
Several teams encountered issues chasing performance in 2024.
Red Bull started the year in dominant fashion before encountering balance problems.
Ferrari had to roll back a mid-season upgrade after it triggered bouncing, Racing Bulls also had to roll back upgrades and Mercedes found itself going from race to race chasing an optimal set-up to get its car in the right window.
Only McLaren and Haas were able to bring upgrades without significant side effects.
A tightening pecking order and difficulty with upgrades throughout the field “are a clear signal that we are already pretty close to the limit [with these regulations]” according to Newey.
Ground effect demands mechanical and aerodynamic harmony
Racing Bulls’ issues last term saw its mechanical and aero teams in conflict when on-track performance wasn’t correlating with wind tunnel data.
That was an issue many teams have faced since the rules were introduced in 2022, particularly Mercedes with its ill-fated ‘zeropod concept.’
Newey said that “Mechanics and aerodynamics must harmonise,” in F1, adding “This is especially true for ground-effect cars.”
Newey unsure if he can contribute to Aston Martin’s 2025 progress
Another team that has had difficulty developing its ground-effect machines is Aston Martin.
The Silverstone-based outfit had a torrid 2024 campaign chasing several development problems and will be hoping Newey, who joins in March as Managing Technical Partner, can steer the team in the right direction.
A lot of Newey’s role will be guiding Aston Martin successfully into the new rules cycle for 2026 but he said: “No doubt, Lawrence [Stroll, team chairman] will want me to be a little bit involved in the 2025 car.”
However, having been out of the F1 game since announcing his Red Bull departure last May, Newey admitted: “Whether I can really contribute anything or not, I’ve got no idea until I start.”
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