Are Formula 1 Cars Getting Slower?
It’s hard to definitively say whether Formula 1 cars are getting slower, one thing we do know is that they have become more reliable.
Written by Serena Aburahma
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The 2022 Formula 1 season is on the horizon, and with it, new
car technology
will be on display. Fans are building excitement to see last year's champion Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and the new F1 car
.However, some have worried that we might see a slower Formula 1 this season.
Fans should not be too concerned about the slower F1 cars, though. According to
Motorsport.com
, the speed differences might not be as major as some people initially believed. The exact speed difference is not yet known, so everyone will have to wait for the season to fully start to understand more.Is Formula 1 slow now?
2022 marks the debut of a new generation of F1 vehicles, and the jury is still out about if it will earn its place among the
most iconic Formula 1 cars
. Speculation about the new cars has spread during the offseason. One thing is known, though, and that is that they will have reduced downforce.Parity is the goal of the new cars, and the hope has been that all Formula 1 constructors and drivers will be on a more level playing field. However, some have thought that this will mean that Formula One cars will be slower than before.
Others disagreed, though. Some analysts believed that speeds would essentially be the same between the new cars and the previous generation. So, who was right?
The speed of new Formula 1 cars may be more complicated
We got to watch the new Formula 1 cars in action for the first time when drivers got practice laps at Barcelona. Based on the times that were recorded in this first practice session, it turns out that the new cars are somewhat slower.
The last time that pre-season practice was done at Barcelona was 2020, and lap times this year have been slower than that year.
This does not tell the entire story, though. For starters, there was not a practice in Barcelona in 2021, and a turn on the track has also been modified.
It is also important to note that because these cars are new, the drivers are still getting used to them. Teams are being conservative with how they handle the cars as drivers and teams overall adjust to the new generation.
Regardless of speed, the new F1 cars look promising
Just because the new Formula 1 cars are slower does not mean that they are worse though. Slower lap times might disappoint some fans, but the new cars do a lot to make up for this. One area they particularly succeed in is reliability.
Reigning champion Max Verstappen demonstrated the potential reliability in a new F1 car by driving a total of 147 laps during his practice session. This is more than they had gotten in previous years with the last generation of cars.
Other drivers also demonstrated the reliability of the new cars. The first day of practice went by without a single red flag, meaning that none of the cars ever had an issue that resulted in breaking down on the track.
Find insurance for whatever you drive with Jerry
Even if the new Formula 1 cars are slightly slower, the new F1 season is bound to be exciting. Formula 1 fans still have to wait a little longer for the season to start, but in the meantime, you can save money on car insurance with
Jerry
.Jerry puts the power of comparison shopping in your hands to make finding cheap car insurance easier than ever before. Signing up is easy and takes less than a minute. Once you're signed up, you can instantly see how much you can save.
4.7
