F1 2022 - News/Regulation change/Developments

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12040/12525023/formula-1-2022-to-debut-new-three-day-weekend-schedule-with-media-activities-moved-to-friday

Formula 1 2022 to debut new three-day weekend schedule, with media activities moved to Friday
F1 bids to condense events in a 23-race season with media sessions moved from Thursday to Friday mornings; Monaco will also be a three-day weekend

 

Singapore GP to stay on F1 calendar until 2028 after new deal
By: Adam Cooper
Jan 27, 2022, 4:01 AM
Formula 1 has agreed a deal to keep the Singapore GP on the calendar for seven years, with an extended contract now running from 2022 to 2028.

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/saudi-arabia-addresses-track-layout-concerns-for-2022-f1-race/7649719/

Saudi Arabia addresses track layout concerns for 2022 F1 race
By: Jonathan Noble
Jan 27, 2022, 6:37 AM
Saudi Arabia Formula 1 chiefs have revealed that they will be making small revisions to their grand prix track in a bid to improve safety in the final sector.
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The Jeddah circuit delivered a spectacular event last year, but a number of drivers expressed safety concerns about the high-speed last section of the street track.

The biggest worry was that the nature of the barriers limited visibility in some of the fast sections, which posed a safety risk in terms of drivers not being able to see far enough ahead of them if there was an incident.

Speaking about the latest developments at the track, the race’s CEO Martin Whitaker has explained that work will be done to address these concerns and improve visibility prior to the event's return in March.

“We have been striving to improve on some areas for our second event,” he explained. “Firstly, there are going to be one or two slight changes to the track.

“These tweaks are directly related to a drivers’ sight-line from the cockpit. It’s minimal work, but it will help improve forward visibility in a couple of corners. Secondly, we will make some small modifications to the barriers that will favour the lines the drivers take around the course.”

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/what-pirellis-18-inch-wheels-change-for-f1s-designers/7652665/

What Pirelli’s 18-inch wheels change for F1’s designers
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Jan 27, 2022, 10:17 AM
Formula 1 is embracing an all-new car design for 2022 season, with a significant push from the series bosses on making the cars able to race each other more closely.
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As part of this overhaul, F1 has adopted a larger wheel rim design, having flirted with the idea many times before. The shift to 18-inch wheels means Pirelli has also had to adapt its offering and will produce a tyre with a much shorter sidewall. This is where teams and drivers might have to adapt the most when considering how the new tyres behave when compared with the outgoing rubber.

Firstly, the driver's view will be more impaired than before. Not only have the wheel rims been increased in diameter, so has the entire assembly. With Pirelli’s tyres mounted, they are 60mm taller than the previous generation, which will make looking out over the top of them a little more challenging. Drivers’ sight will be hindered further still by the wheel wake deflector that will be mounted above it.

Aerodynamicists will also be challenged by the changes, as the lower profile tyre will behave differently to the outgoing rubber - with the dynamic behaviour of the tyre creating inconsistencies.

A number of aerodynamic tricks have been used in F1's recent past to mitigate the effect known as ‘tyre squirt’. But, with many of those design features either removed or heavily constrained, teams will have to find new ways to deal with the resultant change in the tyre’s stiffness and sidewall height.

Pirelli has long been at F1's mercy in order to increase entertainment, with thermal degradation identified as a way of creating strategic differences between the teams and drivers. However, as part of the overhaul, drivers had requested that their need to manage tyre life would be reduced, allowing them to race more freely.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Driving well below the actual potential of the car became a common theme to prevent the tyre from overheating and resulting in unplanned pitstops. Drivers had to stick to a lap time that meant it was quicker to be out on older tyres than it was to lose time in the pits stopping for fresh tyres. When time loss for having to clear traffic was factored in, the tortoise-style strategy became more appealing than being the flat-out hare.

Pirelli’s approach to the design of the new tyres and the impact of the car's redesign could alter this strategy perception though. The stiffer, shorter sidewall tyres will feature a new construction in an effort to resolve some of the temperature issues teams faced on the shoulder of the tyre, which should result in less management.

Performance chasing
Teams worked hard during the previous era to alleviate some of these issues and found pockets of performance from numerous sources, including tyre blanket strategy, the design of the wheel rim, brake ducts and suspension set-up. All face a significant design reset going into 2022, not forgetting that the aerodynamic balance of the car will also vary, given the shift to a more underfloor biased design.

Firstly, whilst the current regulations suggest that tyre blankets will finally be banned from 2024 onwards, the main change going into 2022 is that the maximum temperature of the blankets is set to be reduced from 100 to 70 degrees Centigrade. This could have an impact on how drivers approach their exit from the pitlane or at the start of a race, as they might need to warm the tyres, rather than immediately manage their temperature.

However, the way the tyres are worked may differ too. Many teams had raised the suspension elements and used more extreme pushrod-on-upright solutions in recent years to help with various aerodynamic endeavours, these - along with the hydraulic solutions that have helped with compliance - have been removed. Instead, teams will return to classically sprung suspension arrangements which obviously have a bearing on the car’s behaviour and provide the driver with different feedback and feeling.

Meanwhile, the switch to BBS as F1's single supplier of wheel rims means that any advantages that had been gained in terms of controlling the transfer of heat between the rim and tyre will be eroded too. The likes of the large cooling fins seen on the Mercedes in recent years are no longer possible.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the size of the brake discs are also different in 2022, with the standard 278mm diameter for front and rear discs used since 2017 exchanged for new dimensions. At the front, teams can select a disc size between 325 and 330mm, while at the rear the allowable disc diameter will be between 275 and 280mm.

These changes have ramifications in regards to the disc’s designs, and their proximity to the larger wheel rims, with additional design considerations then feeding back into the design of the brake duct too. This could be considered an avenue where teams might be able to find some small gains over their rivals. But while the ability to create the complex designs they used in the past has been dramatically curtailed, the transfer of the heat generated under braking might still prove pivotal in managing the tyres temperatures.

As seen on McLaren’s design for its mule car used at last month's Abu Dhabi rookie test, there’s scope to increase the brake drum to match the size of the wheel well, as it would have done previously. However, the teams might also find there are some benefits to having a slightly smaller drum and an enlarged void between it and the wheel rim.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

 

F1 cars could be all similar by 2023, says Ferrari
By: Jonathan Noble
Co-author: Luke Smith
Jan 28, 2022, 5:07 AM
Formula 1 designs could converge so the cars all look pretty similar by 2023, reckons Ferrari racing director Laurent Mekies.

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With teams putting the finishing touches to their 2022 challengers, there is some hope that the more restrictive regulations won’t make all the designs identical.

For although there are far more limits in terms of bodywork shape, it is hoped that there is enough scope for each team to have their own interpretations – which will make the cars look different.

But with teams expected to make rapid progress in honing in on the best solutions adopted by their rivals, there is a high chance, according to Mekies, that the cars could look much more the same as the rules move in to their second year.

“There is less freedom, definitely,” he explained. “We are all excited, because it’s going to be completely different compared to [2021]. But how different the cars will be from each other? We will see.

“I think the first go at it, we may see enough difference to our liking, all of us. I think the first go at it, you say: 'OK, that’s not too bad.'

“But then I think the question we all need to ask ourselves is once six months have passed, and more importantly, once one year has passed, so once you have redone your car for 2023, will we all turn out to have exactly the same?

“I’m not telling you that it’s not enough yet. I’m just telling you, let’s have a good look, including the media and, in early 2023, to see if there is still enough differentiations and room for teams to make a difference.”

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-cars-could-be-all-similar-by-2023-says-ferrari/7676392/

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1s-budget-cap-not-enough-to-close-down-top-teams-says-alphatauri/7679313/

F1’s budget cap not enough to close down top teams, says AlphaTauri
By: Jonathan Noble
Jan 28, 2022, 11:39 AM
Formula 1’s budget cap will not be enough alone to allow some of the sport’s smaller teams to match the might of the big spenders, says AlphaTauri.
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As part of F1’s push to level the playing field, it has imposed a cost cap limit on spending – forcing teams to think smarter in the quest for victory rather than simply being able to spend more money.

But while the $140 million limit that is in place for this year has had an impact in pulling back top squads like Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost say it still does not make things completely equal for everyone.

He thinks other factors, such as the current quality of a team’s windtunnel and simulator tools, are just as important when it comes to delivering.

“We still have to work on the infrastructure, to optimise everything on this side,” he said about what AlphaTauri was still missing to challenge at the front.

“If I see the simulation tools, and I can only hear what these top team have, we simply don't have that. They invested in the last few years, millions for this.

“We have a good budget, but we never were in a position to invest so much money for simulation tools. And simulation tools are getting more and more important, because we are running less at the track.

“Therefore you need to have this, and I think that there, we still have some deficiencies.”

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/what-can-we-really-expect-from-the-2022-f1-car-designs/7707623/

What can we really expect from the 2022 F1 car designs?
By: Matt Somerfield
Jan 29, 2022, 7:09 AM
The countdown to Formula 1’s new era car launches is underway, as teams put the final touches to their 2022 challengers. Here's what we can expect from the revamped regulations.
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A showcar created by FOM last year provided some insight into the basic form that the new designs will take, but teams have been busy developing their own ideas based on what they think can give them the edge over their rivals.

PLUS: Will 2022's all-new cars look like F1's concept model?

F1’s designers have been more constrained in some areas, because the FIA does not want ideas to create closer racing immediately undone, but this doesn't necessarily mean that all cars will look alike.

Here we take a close look at the rules and what are the key areas of focus for the new 2022 cars.

Front wing concept
The front wing design leads the charge in this respect, as some of the freedoms seen under previous regulatory eras have been removed and the overall design simplified.

PLUS: Unpacking the technical changes behind F1 2022's rules shakeup

Since 2009, teams have been using the outer section of the front wing to generate ‘outwash’, pushing airflow across and around the front tyre in order to alter the turbulence it generates and direct it away from the car.

In that timespan, several additional methods arose to further address this turbulence issue, with aerodynamic shaping and furniture on the front wing, front brake ducts, blown axles, and wheel rim design all used to improve performance.

In recent years many of these design elements had been taken away from the teams by the FIA, but fundamentally they were still able to incorporate aspects of them that assisted in providing a performance boost. The change in the car’s overall aerodynamic design philosophy for 2022 in some ways mitigates a need to strive for these methods, but the regulations have been framed in such a way to prevent them in any case.

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Photo by: Matt Fiveash

The neutral central section of the front wing - expected to help with closer racing when it was introduced in 2009, but which inadvertently created an incredibly powerful aerodynamic resource for teams to harness - has been removed. Instead, the teams will have to work without the Y250 vortex and will be required to fix the wing profiles to the main body of the nose.

In terms of the wing profiles, their number has been reduced further still, down from five elements to four, and their geometry heavily limited across the span. At the outboard end, the shape of the endplate is also heavily restricted, forming the upswept triangular shaped outer section of the wing. It may also carry a small canard on the outer face, but is also limited in its design scope.

The strakes that usually adorn the underside of the wing and help redirect the airflow will also be absent, having been removed due to their ability to help generate outwash.

Brakes and wheels
As part of a soft fall into the regulations we’ll race under this season, the governing body made numerous changes to simplify the cars in 2019. One of these was the front brake duct assembly, but things have been taken a step further for 2022 as once again the regulations have been framed in a way to prevent teams from generating outwash.

PLUS: The six F1 subplots to watch in 2022 as a new era begins

The unfettered access to aerodynamic, rather than brake-cooling solutions, that pass through the assembly have been curtailed, as the brake discs (330mm up from 278mm) and the brake drum itself will also increase in size to accommodate the introduction of the 18-inch wheel rims and the larger well they create.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

All teams will be supplied the 18-inch wheel rims by BBS in 2022, as the company won the tender to become F1’s standard supplier.

The brake duct’s end fence will also increase in size in response to the size of the wheel well. Furthermore, the use of winglets, aside from the attached upper wake deflector and the lower skirt, will be restrained too.

On the outside of the wheel, rim covers make a return too, having been banished from F1 in 2010. This time they’ll have a uniform design and will rotate with the wheel, rather than being static as most were in their former guise.

There’s also a provision within the regulations to allow for a display panel on the wheel rim covers in order to display information to the spectators. It was a mockup of this which McLaren teased in the post season test at Abu Dhabi.

Suspension
Teams will also be required to overhaul their suspension designs as F1 returns to a classically sprung model, via springs and dampers, rather than some of the hydraulic ancillaries that have been used in the recent past. Many teams will also have to rethink the outboard suspension design too, as the use of upright extensions and the extreme push rod on upright solutions have been outlawed.

As a consequence of these changes and the overall changes to the aerodynamic philosophy of the car, it’s plausible that some teams will return to the use of pull rod suspension at the front of their cars. This was last seen in 2015, as Ferrari finished its three-year run using the layout.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Bodywork shift
As part of the aerodynamic overhaul and shift in focus to a design more influenced by the car's underbody, plus simplification of the front and rear wing, the floor area will also contribute more to the overall downforce being generated than in the previous generation of cars.

Empowering the underbody has resulted in a different design when it comes to the floor’s leading edge. This will include up to four fences and an edge wing, plus the abolishment of the bargeboard region ahead of them.

The design of the sidepod will also look different going into 2022, as the high inlet that all teams used during 2021 and was first introduced by Ferrari in 2017 will be much more difficult to employ.

This is due to the upper of the two SIPS (Side Impact Protection Spars) needing to be located at least 60mm higher in 2022 than they were previously. This reduces the box region in which the sidepod inlet could be placed. This is not to say, however, that teams would actually have found a solution that continued to offer the same performance as it did were they able to place the SIPS and inlet in the same way as before.

With so much changing in regard to how the flow structures make their way from the front of the car to this point, it might have become redundant anyway. But, the regulations were adjusted to make it less likely to be used in any event.

Another change that could have a dramatic effect on the overall design of the sidepod, and the car’s rear end, is the reintroduction of bodywork panels that include cooling louvres. The use of these to reject heat created by the power unit and its ancillary components could lead to some interesting differences in bodywork, depending on what the prevailing conditions and what the given circuit calls for in terms of downforce levels.

This could generally lead to a much tighter coke bottle region too, if they’re used as part of the consistent design portfolio. This will be determined by numerous cooling and aerodynamic decisions made elsewhere too.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Bringing up the rear
At the rear of the car, the separate wastegate pipeworks have been done away with once more, with just a single, centreline exhaust pipe to be used in the last 150mm. This will exit close to another returning feature, the lower beam wing, which will once again make up part of the rear wing’s structure, having not been used since 2013.

The beam wing can be made up of two sections, the design of which will certainly differ from team to team, with a Gurney flap also optional on the trailing edge of the uppermost element. Its reintroduction might also give the teams some more freedom in terms of the design of the rear wing pillars too, be it structurally or aerodynamically.

In terms of the overall design of the rear wing design, it is a large departure from what we’ve seen before too, with the endplate creating a volute shape as it merges with the flaps. While this has an interesting aesthetic, it also has a function too, with the strength, shape and position of the tip vortex ordinarily created by the wing now altered considerably, impacting the wake generated by it as a consequence.

Given the shape of the new rear wing, plus its absence from the show car and the renders produced by F1, some might be forgiven for thinking that DRS has been cast aside too. However, it is still present and will continue to form part of the team's design focus.

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Photo by: Matt Fiveash

For those wondering how DRS could be applied given the shape of the rear wing, the earlier presentation of F1’s windtunnel model gives an idea of how the flap can be hinged in the outer corner. However, this doesn’t show the central actuator, pod and linkage for which each team will have their own interpretation.

Teams must also consider the car’s overall wheelbase, with a measurement added to the regulations for the first time. While this won’t dramatically reduce the length of the cars from what has become the norm over the course of the last decade, at 3600mm it does draw a line in the sand and prevent things from escalating further still.

One other aspect of the car’s design that’s been increasing over the course of the last few decades is its weight. Unfortunately, the brakes haven’t been put on this either. The minimum mass of the car will be set at 795kg in 2022, up from 752kg last season.

It’s another hefty increase, which takes into account the increase in weight posed by the larger wheel rims, tyres, brake discs and brake ducts, while building in some extra margin for the safety structures that require more demanding crash tests.

 

Amazing progress!

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/five-new-grandstands-for-australian-grand-prix/7763402/

Five new grandstands for Australian Grand Prix
By: Andrew van Leeuwen
Jan 31, 2022, 5:01 AM
Five new grandstands have been added to the revamped Albert Park circuit ahead of the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
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According to the Australian Grand Pix Corporation the additional seating has been added to accommodate 'unprecedented ticket sales'.

Included in the suite of extra stands is what has been dubbed the new 'high-speed zone' between Turns 8 and 9, where a hard stop has been replaced by a flowing complex along Lakeside Drive.

That change to the layout, as well as other widening works around the track, are expected to help create better overtaking opportunities.

The other new stands are located at Turn 5, Turn 8, Turn 11 and Turn 12.

“We’re blown away by the incredible enthusiasm ahead of the Formula 1 Heineken Australian Grand Prix 2022 – this year’s event is on track to be the best Melbourne has ever seen and we cannot wait to welcome crowds back to Albert Park," said AGPC General Manager Marketing and Experiences Arthur Gillion.

“Not only will these additional Grandstands allow more people to experience the Formula 1 Heineken Australian Grand Prix 2022’s electrifying atmosphere, they also offer new and exciting views of a faster and more competitive Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.”

 

GO Mclaren!!

The intriguing McLaren change teased in its F1 2022 fire-up video
By: Matthew Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Jan 31, 2022, 7:42 AM
Formula 1 teams are in the final stages of getting their new cars ready for launches and the first pre-season test next month.
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The all-new 2022 rules means designs are much more constrained by regulation than in the recent past, and it means that any differences between teams will undoubtedly lead to a great deal of scrutiny.

McLaren certainly appears to be one team that is doing things very differently this year, as it has teased some important concept shifts in images and video it has released on social media.

Having already shown off a slightly revised airbox and roll hoop design when teasing a chassis build picture on its Instagram feed, it has now teased a change in approach to the front suspension design in its most recent fire-up video.

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There had been speculation amongst the technical community about the possible return of a pull rod front suspension layout for 2022 being the preferred route for teams, given the regulation change. And it appears that McLaren have done just that.

There's a scene in the fire-up video where McLaren CEO Zak Brown is being filmed using his smartphone to capture a clip. The camera focuses in as he pans towards the front of the car and we get a brief glimpse of the front suspension layout from the rear.

What we see suggests McLaren is moving to the pull- rod configuration. Such a change is not completely unexpected, as McLaren actually ran the layout in 2013, having followed Ferrari's lead when it introduced the layout in 2012.

However, while Ferrari continued to utilise the arrangement on the three cars that followed, McLaren abandoned the design and switched back to a push rod layout as it chased other aerodynamic endeavours.

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There are pros and cons to both pull and push rod arrangements but, with the new regulations forcing teams to run a much more strictly-defined nose structure, which will sit much lower, the design of the chassis will also follow suit.

Furthermore, the upright extensions that teams used during the last few years have also been outlawed, along with the more aggressive push rod-on-upright solutions and hydraulic assistance. This means teams have to totally rethink their approach, both mechanically and aerodynamically.

There's little difference in the behaviour or compliance of both solutions, but there are differences in the placement of the weight in the chassis, with the suspension elements mounted lower in the chassis in a pull rod setup.


This has some centre of gravity benefits, but complicates things a little more for the mechanics that have to work on the car.

A pull rod layout can also increase the design scope for the upper surface of the nose and chassis, as teams are not restricted by the suspension components housed within the chassis.

However, some might consider the aerodynamic performance benefits from a push rod layout in being able to shape the lower half of the nose and chassis.

Invariably there's no right or wrong answer about which direction is best, and we may see a mix of solutions amongst the teams as they make choices that suit their overall design concepts.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/the-intriguing-mclaren-change-teased-in-its-f1-2022-fire-up-video/7766445/

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mercedes-expects-2022-cars-to-offer-relatively-similar-performance-to-21/7772402/

Mercedes expects 2022 F1 cars to offer "relatively similar" performance to '21
By: Luke Smith
Jan 31, 2022, 11:37 AM
Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott believes Formula 1 cars will offer a "relatively similar" level of performance this year compared to 2021 despite the overhaul of the technical regulations.

F1 teams will unveil their new cars in the coming weeks ahead of the 2022 season that offers the most significant change to the rulebook since the start of the V6 hybrid era in 2014.

The aerodynamic regulations have been revised to allow for more wheel-to-wheel racing on track by reducing the impact of dirty air, while fewer technical freedoms have been afforded in a bid to create closer on track competition.

The cars will also be heavier than in 2021, as well as switching to new 18-inch wheel rims.

The regulations were originally expected to slow the cars down by a number of seconds per lap compared to the outgoing 2021 designs.

But the expected time loss has been falling as teams have completed more simulations and made more progress over the winter to regain performance.

Speaking in a video published by Mercedes explaining the changes to the technical regulations, Elliott said that he did not believe there would be a huge change in the outright performance of the cars between 2021 and 2022.

"The overall performance of the new cars is probably not going to be very different from the old [ones]," Elliott said.

"Obviously the intention of these regulations was to try and improve overtaking, and it will be a little bit of time before we can see whether that's actually happened.

"The car is a bit heavier, the power unit on the E10 fuel is going to perform slightly differently, and the way the aerodynamics are going to work and the set-up of the car that goes with it will be different as well.

"Until we get the best out of that, until we've developed that through testing and the first few races, we're not really going to know.

"But overall, I suspect the performance will be relatively similar to last year."

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FIA head of single-seaters Nikolas Tombazis said at the end of last season that he thought the time loss would be "quite close" to the 0.5 seconds that had been speculated.

"I don't know for sure because it will depend on tyres, it will depend on how much power they find on the engine as well, and the driveability part of the aerodynamics," said Tombazis.

"I am afraid I can't give an answer to that. But it's going to be in the ballpark, I think."

Mercedes will unveil its new car for the 2022 season, the W13, on 18 February, and is expected to complete an initial shakedown with the car at Silverstone as part of the launch.

Rumours emerged in recent days that Mercedes had failed a crash test with part of the new chassis, but the team has since clarified that its car passed the FIA's homologation process on 13 January.

 

Difficult to assess. That issue potential should be something they would want to mitigate. The other potential is how the tires wear. Pirelli is saying they will be able to push harder and avoid 'management' lol. We have heard this before lol

 

I keep re-reading these to be aware of what changing etc. Really should be fun to see this tech in action!

 

Autosport was also speculating of this above.

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/the-under-the-radar-f1-rule-change-that-could-have-big-impact/7763357/

Why F1's engine freeze for 2022 could have a big impact
By: Matt Somerfield
Feb 1, 2022, 4:15 AM
The arrival of Formula 1’s all-new aero rules has slightly overshadowed another regulation change that could impact the grid for years to come - the engine freeze.
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It’s another facet of the sport that’s being locked down in order to rein in costs and give the manufacturers necessary time to prepare for the arrival of a new power unit in 2026.

However, there’s still time for the manufacturers to make improvements before the homologation deadlines come in to force, so they’ve been working flat out to extract everything they can until the point of no return.

The internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, exhaust system, engine oil and fuel specifications take precedence in this case. The deadline for any changes or upgrades to these must be presented to the FIA before the season gets underway, with their freeze date set for 1 March.

The MGU-K, Energy Store and Control Electronics have a small reprieve, as the deadline has been set as 1 September.

After this, only in extreme circumstances of one manufacturer being well behind its rivals, will there be any scope for changes. So the power unit formbook will be essentially set in stone this season until the end of 2025.

The ongoing development of the power unit throughout the hybrid era has been intense, with all-new specifications delivered year-on-year by the manufacturers in an effort to improve their performance relative to the opposition.

Mercedes provided that benchmark from the outset, with its class-defining PU106A sporting a split turbocharger layout that enabled it to house the MGU-H between the 'V' of the ICE.

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Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The layout undoubtedly had wide sweeping implications in terms of packaging the rest of the components required of the power unit, but it also called for a much more complex MGU-H design to cater for the forces that would be spread across a larger distance.

Honda followed suit when it arrived just a year later, as it tried to keep the power unit's footprint as small as possible.

While it made numerous changes to the turbocharger and the MGU-H’s size and layout in the time that’s intervened, the split turbocharger has remained a feature throughout.

Meanwhile, Ferrari and Renault have thus far resisted the temptation to make the switch.

But there are rumours circulating that could change for 2022, given this will be their last chance to do so.

Both would have to be certain that it will offer tangible performance benefits without increasing reliability concerns though.

This is where Ferrari has been quite shrewd, as it used the tail end of its 2021 campaign to road test its new energy recovery system, introducing the new components on Charles Leclerc’s car in Russia, followed by their introduction on Carlos Sainz Jr's car in Turkey.

Waiting until the end of the campaign to deploy new components, rather than introducing them at the start of the season, essentially gave Ferrari a way of testing them under competitive conditions.

And, had any issues arisen, it would have given it the opportunity to rectify them or alter the course of its development programme, given it could make another change heading into the 2022 season.

Honda, which already made a laundry list of changes to the other components that make up its power unit at the start of the season, also waited it out in regards to the deployment of a new Energy Store.

Max Verstappen was the first of the Honda powered drivers to benefit from the upgrade, as it was installed in his RB16B at the Belgian Grand Prix.

This was the first time Honda had deployed an energy store upgrade during the hybrid era, and it had required the manufacturer to fast-track a project that had taken several years to develop and was originally scheduled for introduction in 2022.

The closely fought battle between Red Bull Honda and Mercedes proved enough of an incentive to bring forward the project, with improvements in energy efficiency and significant reductions in weight, key to that decision.

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Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B battery detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola