What Are the Biggest Changes Made to the Formula 1 Car for 2022?

Formula 1 is entering a new era in the coming season courtesy of its new car. The car which is aimed towards radically changing the sport for the better is expected to bring teams closer on the track and, as a result, in the championship as well.

And that’s not all. With an aim to make sure the sport adapts to the changing world, F1 cars will also be more environmentally friendly than ever in 2022.

All the changes which we’re going to see in the 2022 cars will act as a springboard for 2025 when F1 seeks to introduce a revolutionary new power unit. But it isn’t that the 2022 car is any less revolutionary.

Let’s explore how the new car will be a big change and a step up from the outgoing car.

Key changes in the new Formula 1 car

Inarguably the biggest change in the new car compared to the one we saw in 2021 is the aerodynamics; more specifically, the parts of the car that control or dictate the flow of the air.

• The 2022 car will feature a ground-effect floor with two long tunnels underneath the car replacing the flat floor of the previous one.
• Both wings of the car are also set to become simpler, with lesser parts.
• There will be no bargeboards anymore and there will be front-wheel deflectors.

As we’ve already seen in the Pirelli tire tests in December, the 2022 cars will have new wheels.

• New 18-inch tires will replace the 13-inch ones we saw in 2021.

Continuing into the parts near the wheels, the suspension of the car is also changing dramatically.

• From 2022, hydraulic suspensions are being discontinued.
• The suspension will now be directly attached to the wheel hub.

Then we move to the engine or the power units.

• As mentioned above, the engines will largely remain the same until 2025, the 1.6L V6 Turbo engines with their designs being frozen until 2025.
• The new addition in that department is the rule which requires teams to have at least 10% of E10 fuel.

So these are just some of the major changes to the new car. There are still several changes in the design specifics and from an operational point of view for the 2022 season.

Regardless, there are two big questions which the new car has to answer. Will the 2022 cars be an improvement over the previous cars?

And more importantly, will the new cars improve the sport as a whole?

Also Read: Are F1 Engines Changing in 2022?