Why F1 regulation shift was not the reset that was expected

McLaren

Why F1 regulation shift was not the reset that was expected

F1 introduced all-new technical rules this year

Ian Parkes & Sam Hall

Tuesday 23 August 2022 07:55

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McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has explained why he feels the opportunities presented by this year's all-new F1 technical regulations were not as great as were expected.

F1 is racing to a completely fresh set of aerodynamic rules this year, with only the power units carried over from 2021.

It was predicted the changes could drastically shake up the order but while there has been a shift to some extent, by and large, the pecking order has retained a similar shape to the previous era.

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"I have a very realistic view because, of course, going into a season like this one with completely new regulations, there was always a chance for opportunities and also people think there are a lot of opportunities," Seidl told GPFans.

"At the same time, the teams that are in better shape in terms of organisation, in terms of infrastructure, could use all the assets they have to prepare for this new regulation.

“Therefore, for me, it's not a surprise that these teams are at the front again this year."

McLaren focus on improvement

McLaren has risen from the depths of the constructors' table to become a consistent challenger for the top four in recent years.

Asked how the team can bridge the sizeable gap to compete with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, Seidl remarked: "It's just important to make sure we keep getting better in all areas of the team, which we did this year again.

"If you look at pit stops, for example, and in terms also of how I see we work together and how we improve our tools and get our infrastructure in place in parallel.

“Again, that will be key in order to make the next step as a team.

“Apply the learnings from this year, as well from the things that did not go to plan, and try to get closer again next year.”