Old vs New

Future F1’s 2021 Car First Look

Formula 1 is close to revealing new regulations, following changes to its race cars for the 2021 season. Their main change deals with the aerodynamic wake that is left behind a car.

FIA’s Head of Single Seater Technical Matters Nikolas Tombazis said in a statement “We are trying to find things that make the car go faster".

Formula 1 cars currently have air wakes that trail off of one car which can reduce the car behind’s downforce by up to 50%, in turn, this has caused other drivers to steer clear from driving behind a fellow racecar driver. By altering this, F1 hopes this will lead to cars getting closer during races which should allow for a more interesting race.

New cars will now only reduce the following car’s downforce by 5% - 10%. Other designs include larger wheels, remodeled floors, new rear wings, and tweaks to the front wing. We’re set to expect cars following each other at closer proximities, better races and more overtakes.

“With the configurations we have got at the moment, the results are exceptional.” Says F1’s Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds when asked about the results.

There are still tweaks that need to be done with the new model, including a few tweaks to the front wing design. This new model is a good benchmark for the 2021 F1 car.

After creating the 2021 version, the next step was to confirm the data found by using CDF (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Below is a video showing how the changes will affect the car's driving dynamics and how this could alter the way a driver races. A Sauber wind tunnel was used under strict conditions and secrecy for extensive testing.

2021 will be an exciting year for Formula 1 and its supporters.