“It’s not crazy different,” Valtteri Bottas comments on 2022 F1 cars with new regulations in effect

“It’s not crazy different,” Valtteri Bottas comments on 2022 F1 cars with new regulations in effect

Valtteri Bottas

2021 F1 season brought an end to the hybrid era, as newer regulations will come into effect from next year. This is the largest overhaul of changes being planned in F1 history, as will teams are busy building their machinery for next season.

There have been several drivers who have suggested that driving will be lot more different in 2022 as compared to in the previous years. However, Valtteri Bottas thinks otherwise and believes it could be easier for drivers to adapt. Bottas left Mercedes after a five-year spell, and will race for Alfa Romeo in 2022.

Speaking on the basis of using the simulator during the course of the 2021 season, the former Mercedes driver believes that except a bit of less downforce, things could remain the same.

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“At least at that point, it felt like the cars are a bit off in terms of downforce,” said Bottas.

“But the overall feeling, at least in the sim, wasn’t that dissimilar in either of the simulators. We can’t simulate following other cars and stuff like that, but it’s not crazy different. Maybe still a bit less downforce but, like I said, that will change,” he added.

Valtteri Bottas is a little unhappy to see the end of high-downforce cars

Lando Norris
Lando Norris

Lando Norris did not agree with Valtteri Bottas’ view on the 2022 cars. The McLaren driver instead suggested that the cars will more likely than not look like F2 cars. Norris believes that there will be no easy overtakes and there will be much more fighting in terms of places.

“I don’t think it’ll be as nice to drive in a way. I think it’ll be a little bit more on the limit in terms of pushing and so on. A little bit like F2 in a way, I think, where you see more fighting the car and stuff,” said Norris.

Valtteri Bottas admitted that he will miss the high downforce cars which have generated such quick lap times in the past. The new aerodynamics on offer will reduce the downforce, which will minimize the impact of dirty air in racing.

“It’s been fun, especially last year [2020] – the cars were even faster than this year, with more downforce,” he said.

“They’ve been nice but I’ll let you know next year how the new ones [are]. If the racing is better and we can follow more closer, then it should be even more fun, and I think the cars in the future will be as quick as now pretty quickly. Hopefully that’s going to be the case,” Bottas added.

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