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F1's technical regulations for the 2022 and 2023 seasons have seen a few changes as the sport tries to counter concerns regarding porpoising of the new generation of cars. There have been changes brought keeping "safety" in mind and after consultation with all the teams on the matter.
On the eve of announcing these changes, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem pointed out how safety was the highest priority for the FIA and the team had devoted significant time and resources to find the best possible solutions. He said:
"Safety is absolutely the highest priority for the FIA, and we have devoted significant time and resources to the analysis and resolution of the issue of porpoising."
He further added:
"I have personally discussed this matter with all of the teams and drivers, and while of course there are some differences in opinion owing to varying competitive positions, it is very clear that the FIA has a duty to act and ensure that the drivers are not put at undue risk of injury as a result of this phenomenon."
Other than the porpoising issue that has become a hot topic in F1 right now, The FIA president also talked about Guanyu Zhou's crash in Silverstone and FIA's learnings from it that mandated a chance in roll hoop. He said:
“It was evident that an update to the requirements for the roll hoops was needed after the crash of Zhou Guanyu at Silverstone, and while this incident showed us all how remarkable the safety systems in Formula 1 are, it also proved once again that we must continue to innovate and pursue safety matters without compromise.”
Changes in F1 technical regulations
As shared by the FIA, it will be measuring the phenomenon and expecting teams to operate below a certain threshold in order for their car to be considered safe.
In addition, the following measures are approved for 2022 and 2023:
2022 F1 technical regulations
- Central Floor Flexibility – changes to redefine the stiffness requirements of plank and skids around the thickness measurement holes.
2023 F1 technical regulations
- The floor edges will be raised by 15mm.
- The Diffuser throat height will be raised, while care has been taken to avoid any impact on the teams’ designs of the mechanical components.
- The diffuser edge stiffness will be increased.
An additional sensor will be mandated to monitor the phenomenon more effectively.
Changes to the roll hoop for the 2023 F1 season
Another change with regards to safety was the disintegration of the roll-hoop during Guanyu Zhou's accident at Silverstone this season. For the 2023 F1 season, the following changes have been introduced:
- A change to require a rounded top of the roll hoop, which will reduce the chance of it digging into the ground during an accident.
- A change to ensure a minimum height for the point of application of the homologation test.
- Creation of a new physical homologation test where the load pushes the roll hoop in the forward direction.
- Definition of new tests to be carried out by calculation.
It will be interesting to see what kind of impact these regulations have on the pecking order as well, and the impact could be visible as soon as the Belgian GP after the summer break.
