Otmar Szafnauer, Alpine team boss, hailed the new 2022 Formula 1 regulations, claiming the new formula has delivered an entertaining season.
Despite only being the first season for the new regulations with ground-effect F1 cars aimed at better racing, all the first impressions from the new rules were positive, with room for more improvement in the future as the teams get to grip with them.
Evaluating the new regulations, Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer was quoted by F1’s official website saying: “I think there [were] a couple of objectives, one of which was to bring the field a bit closer together. I think that’s been partially achieved; I think the racing is a little bit closer.
“Then the other objective was to get most of the downforce, or the predominant amount of the downforce, from the floor, such that overtaking can be a little bit easier. I think overtaking is a bit easier,” he added.
“Still, at some circuits, it’s difficult, [it] still requires DRS, and sometimes even with DRS, we struggle to overtake, but I think it’s proved to be an entertaining season, and I think from an entertainment standpoint, the new formula has delivered,” Szafnauer maintained.
Szafnauer’s Haas counterpart, Guenther Steiner, also had positive things to say about the new regulations; he commented: “I think the regulations worked.
Both cost cap and aero rules worked, but improvements can be made
“We have to differentiate between financial regulations and technical. I think financial worked. The teams are closer together, all the teams have scored points this year.
“On the technical regulations, I think that it worked as well – it made the racing better. You can get a little bit closer car to car. It will never be perfect with a car with wings on, that you don’t lose downforce when you’re behind the car, but it went in the right direction,” he explained.
“There are improvements, always… there’s always margin to improve the technical regulations, so I think if we keep on working on it, we are on the right way, but in general, the entertainment value is better, I think.
“A lot of people watch Formula 1 because there are always battles everywhere, and I think for that it was a very good step forward,” the Italian concluded.
As for Aston Martin, their Performance Director Tom McCullough revealed excitement getting to know the new rules and developing the teams’ knowledge of them, declaring that the new regulations have “done what was set out to be achieved” when introduced.
“It’s been a challenge from an engineering side; it’s actually been fascinating,” McCullough added. “I think you learn more with a big regulation change, especially when you’re not as strong as you want to be… I think you learn even more.
“But [Red Bull have] shown over the season how it needs to be done, and that’s a benchmark for us all to be chasing – the job that Red Bull have done,” the Aston Martin engineer said.
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