RUMOUR – F1 BOSSES COULD DELAY THE NEW RULES TO 2023 – UPDATE

Formula 1’s major rules change could be delayed further to 2023 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to despite rumours they could be delayed once again.

Amid major concerns over the impacts the global COVID-19 crisis will have on the financial well-being of F1 and its teams, the new technical rules package they could be delayed once again.

In the meantime, teams will carry over their chassis and other components – likely suspension and gearboxes – and only be able to develop aerodynamic surfaces in the 2021 season.

It is unclear whether this would mean the current cars continue into 2022 as well, or if further development freedom will be allowed to introduce more fundamental changes.

A report in Italian media said F1 bosses were considering pushing the rules revolution back another year to ’23 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which could once again force the sport into a radically different season than it originally set out.

The calendar has already seen major changes, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix pushed back to November and the Chinese round postponed indefinitely. Bahrain will now open the ’22 season, with Imola lined up as the second round.

The ’22 rules revolution, which will see major technical changes introduced to level the playing field and create closer racing, was originally scheduled to arrive this year, but was delayed because of the pandemic.

That means the ’20 cars will be used again this season, although a small amount of development has been permitted. The report suggested they could be used again next year to lessen the financial burden places on the teams.

However F1 says this isn’t a consideration: “Any suggestion the 2022 regulations will be delayed is wrong and has not been discussed,” a spokesperson said.

“The new regulations are designed to improve competition on track and give our fans closer racing. This combined with the new financial regulations will improve F1 and create a healthier and stronger business model for the whole sport.”

Teams were forced to pause development on the ’22 cars last year, but development has since resumed as of January 1, when the development freeze was lifted and work is therefore well underway on the new era of cars which are expected to be able to race much closer with the re-introduction of ground effect floors.

They will also move to larger 18-inch wheels and simplified wings, with the floor producing the majority of downforce, thus reducing the amount of ‘dirty’ air the cars produce, which makes following one another difficult.

UPDATE | FORMULA 1 DENIES POSTPONEMENT OF REGULATIONS

A Formula One spokesman told Autosport that there is no question of postponing the 2022 rules. ”Any suggestion the 2022 regulations will be delayed is wrong and has not been discussed. The new regulations are designed to improve competition on track and give our fans closer racing. This combined with the new financial regulations will improve F1 and create a healthier and stronger business model for the whole sport”, the spokesman concludes.

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