FIA presents blueprint for the 2021 and future rules

Published on 22 July 2019 by Mike Motilall

The FIA and Formula 1 have presented their vision on how the cars and rules will be taking shape from 2021 and onwards.

In October of that year, the blueprint for the 2021 rules will be final and made public. Nevertheless, as a precursor, a concept has been presented. The changes are herewith briefly highlighted.

One of the main items is the fact that the underside of the Formula 1-car will drastically be changed. It has been suggested to give ground effect a more bigger role in how the cars generate their downforce. Ground effect is air that, by means of two venturi-tunnels under the car, is fed to a bigger diffuser. With this, a major part of the downforce is generated under the car, hence the loss in downforce while driving behind another car will be limited.

Together with tyre supplier Pirelli, it will be looked at how to make racing better on the tyres and how to get the tyres to have less degradation. Also, from 2021 onwards there will be a change from the current 13 inch tyres to the more wider 18 inch ones. It has also been proposed that tyre blankets be outlawed for 2021.

To reduce costs even more, several other measures have been suggested:

• Standardised wheel rims
• A standardised brake system
• A ban on hydraulic suspension systems
• A restriction on the use of certain exotic materials
• Standardised radiators
• A frozen specification of gearbox parameters
• Standardised pit equipment for all teams
• A simplified fuel system
• A 40% limit on the use of current wind tunnel time

The FIA is still investigating a number of items, including:

• A further reduction of electronics on cars and driver aids
• What to do with car-to-pit telemetry, including the notion of whether drivers should be left more ‘on their own’ when on track
• Investigating whether to introduce some further standard components for cost reduction, such as drive shafts and steering columns
• Simplification of lower part of the chassis – an area which is prone to damage from kerbs
• The possibility to further reduce team personnel at race weekends, for cost reduction
• Race weekend format
• Reducing the total weight of a Formula1-car