Were the FIA correct to change the rules in 2020 to suit Red Bull?

[Brogan]

With it now being clear that the Red Bull is the most dominant car ever in F1, were the FIA right to change the rules to give them this huge advantage?

After Mercedes' domination, a raft of rule changes were introduced, specifically to the floor of the car.

The FIA claimed it was for safety reasons but good fortune would have it that the cars worst affected were those with low rakes, such as Mercedes, and the cars which benefitted most were those with high rakes, such as Red Bull.

That is what allowed Verstappen to be gifted his first WDC in 2021.

Clearly the main purpose of the changes was to reduce Mercedes' performance and increase Red Bull's and it worked even better than the FIA could have hoped after the 2021 season.
How we were all thrilled that someone other than Hamilton was the worthy winner.

What we have now though is seasons which have been utterly devoid of any competition, not only due to the unfair advantage the FIA gave to Red Bull, but also due to Perez, who is a third rate driver in a first rate car.

At least with Mercedes there was competition between the team mates.
Now there isn't even that.

 

[Dartman]

Though RB were fairly even Stephen in 2021 the championship was won on that one race where an illegal restart was introduced, though Hamilton didn't try that hard to block Verstappen.
Post 2021 the new ground effect to improve closer racing was reintroduced, in ground effect Williams were the kings, Newey was in his early days of aero design, I can't believe that Williams did not do considerable investigations into ground effect without skirts and Newey was involved, Newey being highly switched on designer would have copious notes as to what worked and what didn't, why Williams didn't have that information and used it in 2022, who knows, perhaps it was in the aero designers pocket books and not in Williams's archives.
With RB success in 2022 they were way ahead of development in ground effect so, with a bit of extra cash they have produced a huge leap forward in 2023 whilst other teams are only just achieving RB's 2022 pace. The secret seems to be in the floor design and its interaction with the side pods making the rear wings almost redundant on the car.
The benefit RB had in 2021 only lasted a year before the ground effect was made legal again to improve racing and overtaking, possibly the need for DRS is now redundant to improve racing, RB doesn't have that much advantage without DRS but it is still a large advantage

 

[The Artist.....]

Brogan - I don't think you can link the changes that came in for 2021, affecting the rake of the cars to the current domination of Red Bull. Effectively, there was no carry over from the knowledge from the 2020/21 cars to the cars of 2022.

Post 2021 the new ground effect to improve closer racing was reintroduced, in ground effect Williams were the kings, Newey was in his early days of aero design, I can't believe that Williams did not do considerable investigations into ground effect without skirts and Newey was involved, Newey being highly switched on designer would have copious notes as to what worked and what didn't, why Williams didn't have that information and used it in 2022, who knows, perhaps it was in the aero designers pocket books and not in Williams's archives.

This is something of a red herring, as:

• Ground effect was banned in F1 in 1982, with flat bottoms mandated from 1983 onwards
• Adrian Newey did not move to Williams until 1990 (affecting the 1991 season)

Newey may have gained experience of ground effect from his work with March in Indycar (1984 onwards), but this is still likely to be less relevant for F1 almost 40 years later. Much more likely is that Newey has just got an innate understanding of airflow, and what is possible within the confines of carbon fibre.

 

[F1Brits_90]

i would say yes, because nobody wants domination including the teams after the 1st year, because it becomes for them & actually relish the challenge. & it was the most entertaining season ive ever seen

What we have now though is seasons which have been utterly devoid of any competition, not only due to the unfair advantage the FIA gave to Red Bull, but also due to Perez, who is a third rate driver in a first rate car.

whereas as yes we all agree that they were dealt with leniency. because the FIA weren't sure how strict to go with it being the 1st time & unknown territory

morally they are terrible but sporting wise we cant blame Red Bull for Adrian Newey being the only person to understand how to energise the floor & ive said before that unfortunately, Mercedes & Ferrari have to take some the fault of this. ferrari strategy cock ups & building a quick car but with no idea how to develop it or Mercedes going down the wrong road of development in 2022 & then ignoring their star driver to continue down the road in 2023. & then scrapping their A car after bahrain qualifying & building a B spec car

I said in Saudi that this 1.5 sec gap was more Mercedes & Ferrari had gone backwards over the winter. lost a second whereas Red bull went forwards found half a second

 

[cider_and_toast]

The FIA have a history of changing the rules to ban something that just so happens to prevent a team from winning a championship. The mass damper springs to mind as another example.

I agree though that after 2021 the rule changes affecting the rake of a car were less important to Red Bulls run away success.

I fully agree with FB though and say its high time that the FIA introduce a set of regulations along the same lines as the WEC to ensure that there is some sort of championship to enjoy.

Without the unreliability of the 80's and 90's and with a second rate driver in the second car, Verstappen really could win every race between now and the end of the season.

 

[Il_leone]

I have to say the rule that helped Red Bull was the FIA allowed them to use Honda engines when previously stated they had to use another supplier from the current field if Honda pulled out

The other 3 did not want to and the FIA did not push hard

The second rule was the engine freeze so that Red Bull under Powertains were not so disadvantaged but they essentially just carried out

 

[F1Brits_90]

I fully agree with @FB though and say its high time that the FIA introduce a set of regulations along the same lines as the WEC to ensure that there is some sort of championship to enjoy.

Without the unreliability of the 80's and 90's and with a second rate driver in the second car, Verstappen really could win every race between now and the end of the season.

hoping the FIA do find a way to peg back red bull or give max competition. because liberty & FIA know like 2013 when vettel won 9 in a row. if this happens next year then people like Schumacher era will be turning off in their droves. & the damage that caused

but i always say my main positivity is that cost cap has worked for 2nd in constructors so hopefully it will for 1st

 

[Speshal]

turning off in their droves.

Too late here, and if you see how long I've been on here, you'll find posts from me at stupid o'clock am on the day of the Aus GP. I'd set my alarm to get up and watch it, I was that invested.

2021 did it for me, and it seems I got out at the right time, I still follow the results and read the articles but have absolutely zero interest in watching the "show" (thanks Liberty) when I want to watch some racing*.

I've got a picture of me sat on my Dad's lap watching the 1976 British GP highlights (so I'm told.)

*Other formulae are available.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Too late here, and if you see how long I've been on here, you'll find posts from me at stupid o'clock am on the day of the Aus GP. I'd set my alarm to get up and watch it, I was that invested.

im certainly no where near as positive as i was. hungary gp was personally very low point. but from what im reading the viewing figures on sky are similar to 2022

but i think 2024 would see more people being in your situation & we could see it go from 1.6m to 700,000

*Other formulae are available.

yes, Formula E was decent when they were interested in racing not peleton.
Indycar is the most underrated series in motorsport.
BTCC is have a lean year

 

[The Artist.....]

Too late here, and if you see how long I've been on here, you'll find posts from me at stupid o'clock am on the day of the Aus GP. I'd set my alarm to get up and watch it, I was that invested.

2021 did it for me, and it seems I got out at the right time, I still follow the results and read the articles but have absolutely zero interest in watching the "show" (thanks Liberty) when I want to watch some racing*.

I've got a picture of me sat on my Dad's lap watching the 1976 British GP highlights (so I'm told.)

*Other formulae are available.

If you want a race that personifies F1 perfectly - it's the 1976 British GP... Hunt disqualified way after the race, because he had not driven all the way back to the pits, and had had his race car fixed...

Of course, this was after he had driven all of the race, and won it...

 

[The Artist.....]

yes, Formula E was decent when they were interested in racing not peleton.
Indycar is the most underrated series in motorsport.
BTCC is have a lean year

Formula E isn't really racing... In a battery powered series, they have to find a way to allow drivers to push for the entire race (and not just in the final 3 laps).

Indycar is fine and dandy - but I can't stomach some of the rules - e.g. the pitlane being closed during yellow flag periods - and ovals really bug me - because it is so easy to be wiped out by someone else's accident.

BTCC has had a lean couple of decades. BTCC was great in the early to mid '90s. I lost interest as the BBC lost the rights, and the championship became much more of a privateer championship.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Indycar is fine and dandy - but I can't stomach some of the rules - e.g. the pitlane being closed during yellow flag periods - and ovals really bug me - because it is so easy to be wiped out by someone else's accident.

they have changed the rules now & they don't close the pits now until everyone has gone past the entrance once, so everyone has a chance to pit if they want to until everyone gets bunched up

BTCC has had good years recently & some brilliant title deciders some real driving talent. but since they changed to hybrid from weight. it has got a bit boring

 

[Il_leone]

It was not 2020 rules

It's the rule about the engine freeze supposedly Honda were pulling out and Renault did not want to partner them
If I was the FIA I would not gave bent over backwards fir them