Formula 1’s chief technical officer, Pat Symonds, addressed these concerns in an interview with Racefans.net. Speaking about the new regulations, Symonds mentioned that his aim is for Formula 1 cars to retain their speed and performance while containing the excessive use of synthetic fuels. According to him, the sport needs to introduce “active aerodynamics” to achieve this.
According to Symonds, drag is one of the primary reasons for the high fuel consumption on Formula 1 cars:
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Same performance with lower fuel consumption is the goal for Formula 1
Symonds hopes that this reduction in downforce won’t result in the cars going slower than before. His ultimate aim is to have the same kind of racing, but with a lower percentage of fuel being used:
Apart from reducing fuel consumption and downforce, Symonds hopes to reduce the minimum weight of the cars. In 2021, teams must have a car heavier than 749 kgs. This is a 3 kg increase to the minimum weight from last year. According to Symonds, the car’s weight can be further reduced by 75 kgs in 2025, if Formula 1 starts using synthetic fuels instead of crude oil fuels.
The future looks bright for Formula 1. The ideas suggested by Symonds are bold and will require a lot of research from teams to adjust to. However, the sport’s push towards being more environmentally friendly is a good cause, and teams must accommodate any new rules designed to curb harmful environmental practices.
Also read: How Formula 1 became the world’s most engaging sport
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