Formula 1 has just passed the midpoint of the current technical regulations cycle. Ground effect cars returned in 2022 and now have two seasons under their belt, but they still have two more to run before the hotly anticipated power unit overhaul arrives in 2026.
In planetary terms, F1 recently reached the furthest point of its current technological orbit. However, as more time passes and the 2024 season runs its course, so the perihelion and the start of a new cycle will draw closer. The sense of distance was expressed in a lack of changes to the technical regulations for the new season.
The porpoising problems of 2022 were largely alleviated with sweeping changes, including increases in the floor and diffuser throat heights. No such wholesale issue manifested last year. Any performance shortcomings came down to individual cases at the teams that could be addressed through upgrades.
By comparison, the regulatory adjustments made for 2024 were relatively minor. Cars may now run with an optional cooling scoop on the upper surface of the forward chassis, in response to several drivers struggling through a brutally hot Qatar Grand Prix. The drag reduction system (DRS) can now be activated one lap after a race start or re-start. And a decision to reduce the number of power unit components per car per season from four to three was repealed for this year and next.
Consequently, the focus at the start of this season was on performance gains, specifically whether any team could stem Red Bull Racing’s dominance.
Red Bull blitzed
