The 2021 Formula 1 regulations promise big changes for the sport, with goals of making passing on track easier and reducing costs for teams. The cars are getting a new set of rules that will redefine how the cars are shaped and alter how much the teams can tinker with things like aero. Now we get to see the 2021 F1 car design .
Formula 1 released a video recently that shows a 50 percent sized model of a 2021 Formula 1 car testing at Sauber's wind tunnel in Switzerland. The design isn't exactly finalized—F1 says the front wing will evolve as testing goes on—but things like the side pods and rear wing are expected to stay the same. We also get a look at the new 18-inch wheels, which will replace the comparatively tiny 13-inch units used on the current cars.
As before, Formula 1 says the main goal for the 2021 design is to reduce the car's wake disruption through the air with the goal of making races more appealing. Today's cars have a disruption level of 50 percent, making it difficult for the following car to get close and pass. As a result, there is less close racing and fewer passes, making for less exciting racing. Formula 1 says these new cars will have just a 5 to 10 percent wake disruption. So hopefully, we should get some better racing once the rules take effect.
The results are “actually beyond what I thought we could achieve when we started the project," says F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds. “With the configurations we have got at the moment, the results are exceptional," he added.
From: Road & Track