On Thursday, in London, there will be an important meeting between the Federation and the eleven teams to try to modify the current regulations
The current regulatory cycle of the new Formula 1 is taking on water from all sides, with most drivers expressing their dissatisfaction after the first three races. This is why the FIA, also in light of the incident in Japan between Bearman and Colapinto, has called an important meeting to be held on April 9th in London. Many issues will be addressed (as anticipated on our website), with a particular focus on qualifying, which has been completely changed compared to previous years.
While the races have somewhat mitigated the enormous doubts surrounding the new regulations, qualifying, for its part, has highlighted its limitations and the incompatibility of a fair balance between the power of the internal combustion engine and the electrical energy available to the drivers during the fast lap. In particular, complaints have come from Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, with the Monegasque Ferrari driver repeatedly highlighting the complete distortion of the concept of qualifying by attempting to impose a different driving style on himself, in stark contrast to what is required during the fast lap.
Braking earlier, under the current regulations, could be beneficial, and this is something many drivers (and even insiders) are unable to accept, which is why qualifying will be a hot topic in London. The Federation is considering several options: the first is to unlock active aerodynamics, allowing drivers to use them throughout the entire track, although this solution could compromise driver safety, and the FIA simply cannot afford it, given what already happened during the third race of the season.
Another option on the table is to reduce the amount of MJ to be recovered during the flying lap, from the current 9 to the 6 MJ the FIA would like to impose. A similar situation has already occurred in Japan, with energy recovery going from 9 MJ to 8 MJ. We’ll know more on Thursday, but it’s inevitable that the Federation and Liberty Media will have to work tirelessly to restore F1 to its true nature.
Photos: Scuderia Ferrari HP
