F1 2023 regulations change: new rules, same problems?

 Abstract

Starting from an analysis of the new set of rules amended for the 2023 Formula One season, this article will try to find if these new prescriptions will be able to solve some of the problems related to the previous season or if they will suffer of the same weaknesses.

The new rules for 2023

Due to the big regulations change provided for the 2022 season, there were some areas that needed to be addressed in order to solve some issues related to the last championship. In addition to this, Liberty Media is always trying to find new ways to improve entertainment. This background led to a series of regulatory variations for the upcoming Formula 1 season.

Starting from the technical changes, one of the most important modification is related to car’s height. This year, the minimum height for the car’s floor needs to be at least 15 mm above the ground. This measure was necessary to avoid the phenomena called “porpoising”, which caused a lot of instability issues for most of the competitors during the first half of last season. Some of the other measures are related to the weight of the cars, reduced from 798 kg to 796 kg, and an improved freedom in gearbox components.

Looking to the safety improvements, the most relevant ones are linked to the dimensions of the side mirrors (from 150mm to 200mm) and the strengthening of the Roll Hoops, a precautional provision related to the huge crash occurred to the Alfa Romeo’s driver Guanyu Zhou in Silverstone last year.

On the entertainment side, the most important changes are connected to the introduction of a new qualifying scheme for two races as a test. This format will be based on the use of a specific tyre compound for every round of qualifying: starting from Q1 with hard tyres; Q2 with medium tyres; and Q3 with soft tyres. This new system will improve also the usage and the optimization of all types of tyres during the weekend and is based on the proposal made by Pirelli. In addition to this, the number of sprint races is increased from 3 to 6, to provide more events and excitement.

The last changes that need to be remembered are linked to a small tweak of the F1 Financial regulation and the consequential Cost cap. This new set of rules will be again in the spotlight, considering the number of grey areas used by teams to avoid its breach.

Last but not least, there is a new system for grid penalty, with the aim of avoiding the chaos that in the last season made difficult, even for teams, to understand from which position the driver would have started the race.

New rules, old problems?

Considering the aim of this modifications to the various regulations of Formula 1, it is undeniable that FIA, jointly with Liberty Media, are facing some of the recurrent issues related to the pinnacle of motorsport: Show, Safety and grey areas hidden by the rules.

Regarding safety and clarity it is easy to say that every kind of improvement is worth a try and is welcomed in a really positive way by everyone. Easy and clear penalties or strong Roll Hoops structure are measures that will effectively improve the sport and make it also easier to understand.

On the other hand, the obsession with the “spectacle” or the “show” made by the Circus is probably more a curse than a blessing. It is clear that some improvements can make F1 more interesting but, most of the time, they are only a way to distort F1 to its essence. During the last years, several attempts were made to find a different format for qualifying and every time it was only a mistake more than a good decision. In addition to this, sprint races are not related to the DNA of Formula 1, and the complex format behind them is as useless as difficult for the team to comply with.

Another relevant aspect is related to the “sustainability” of the sport. In this period full of claim of being sustainable, it is very important to act so and not only to express that. A lot of disappointment came from the Race calendar for 2023 and his poor optimization for logistics and travel consumption all around the world. It is necessary to start acting coherently to the principles stated and agreed by FIA, regarding sustainability before it will be too late. Not only in apocalyptic way, but also for the image of an ISF that needs to be above an unfair usage of good values and principles.

The other important aspect is related to Grey areas and the Financial Regulations, that will be, unfortunately, again in the centre of the upcoming season. Considering the current mechanism of review, Budget cap breaches for 2022 season will be known and under review only by half of 2023 season, with the strong risk of undermining the “on track results” with the “on paper balances” as it happened with the RedBull’s breach in 2021.

In conclusion this season, even if it is not a year of big changes, could be not only a great year of races but also a strong base for 2026 regulations, with the hope that FIA and Liberty Media start creating a serious path of real sustainability and a fair ground of competitiveness for all the stakeholder involved.