George Russell scrutinizes the efficiency of new wind tunnel testing regulations in keeping F1 competitive

With the growing gap in development between teams in F1 making the sport less competitive, a scheme was implemented to address the disparity between the leading and trailing teams in the Constructors’ standings. It involves adjusting the aerodynamic testing time allocated to each team, aiming to level the playing field. George Russell has been vocal in questioning the directive.

Out of all the teams in F1s latest era of regulatory innovation, Aston Martin stands out as the only team that has significantly altered the established hierarchy or pecking order. Speaking to RacingNews365.com, George Russell was asked if there was a more efficient way to close the gap between teams. He said, “From a technical standpoint, I have no view or idea how that could be achieved and obviously, we’ve only been a couple of years now into the aero regulation and the handicap system, but it hasn’t drastically changed anything up and down the order.”

“Maybe the only team you can argue is Aston Martin, but I think that’s probably via, you know, certain engineers joining to help push in the right direction. You could give quadruple the amount of wind tunnel time to the team at the bottom over the one at the top and the one at the top would probably still come out in the lead,” he added.

Keeping the sport competitive has always been a major cause of concern for the FIA. The sport has been dominated by a single driver and team for over a decade, except in 2021. With Red Bull’s mounting dominance, it is yet to be seen whether their reduced testing time, decreased further by a penalty after a cost cap breach, will allow competitors to catch up near the end of the season.

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How does F1 wind tunnel testing work under the 2023 directives?

In 2023, the time allocated depends on the 2022 constructors’ standings. Each team is allocated a percentage of testing based on their position relative to the team below them. The baseline for this allocation is set at the seventh-place team from 2022, Aston Martin. Every position has a 5% difference, so the seventh-placed team gets 320 wind tunnel tests per ATP(Aerodynamic Testing Period).

To ensure fairness, teams are not allowed to excessively concentrate their testing at the beginning or end of the year. However, based on the current constructors’ championship order, the rankings are reset on June 25th, at the end of ATP 3. This reset then determines the testing restrictions for the remainder of the year. Consequently, Aston Martin could potentially experience a reduction of up to 25% in their testing allocation between the two halves of the season due to their significant rise to the front, with Fernando Alonso leading the way.

In the previous season, the reigning constructors’ champion, Red Bull, was initially allocated 70 percent of the total test runs permitted. However, their allocation was reduced to 63 percent because they were found guilty of breaching the budget cap regulations. On the other hand, the last-placed team, Williams, was granted 115 percent of the test runs allowed. Thus, this could hamper Red Bull at the end of the season, allowing competitors to catch up.

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