Formula 1 | F1 Technical Regulations: What will change in 2023
Despite the technical revolution in 2022, F1 is not going to stop there. Taking the first lessons from the new rules, the FIA was able to make more or less minor changes to avoid the negative situations arising from these new rules.
Porpoising led to a technical directive during the season, which led to a revised regulation for the following season. Other events, such as Guanyu Zhou’s crash at Silverstone, also led to major revisions of the rules.
Raised floor edges
The World Council approved the decision in October raise the edges of the floor. The FIA originally wanted to increase the edges of the floor by 25 millimeters, but in the end it was decided to reduce it to 15 millimeters. It was approved by the World Council.
In addition, a maximum vertical deviation of five millimeters will be allowed in both directions. In 2022, a maximum deflection of eight millimeters for the downward load and 12 millimeters for the upward load was expected to be experienced.
Expansion of the “groove” of the floor
Floor “grooves” will always be raised to limit uncontrolled movement of single seaters. This is the narrowest part of the groove under the floor near the center of the car.
This is where the air speed is highest, but this narrow section can cause the air flow to slow down too much, causing changes in air pressure and therefore sudden changes in temperature, with “precipitation” support. These are the causes of porpoise.
Changing this will allow limit this airflow blocking effect, and allow the car to suffer less from body height changes. As a result, by the end of 2022, less available porpoising should move further away.
More accurate sensors to measure vibrations
Since the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, the vertical forces experienced by F1 drivers have been measured using sensors originally designed to record the impact of collisions. Thus, these sensors performed a dual function during the second half of the 2022 season.
These have a crucial role in the fight against porpoising and its side effects. But for 2023 there will be special sensors to more accurately measure the vertical forces experienced by pilots.
As seen above, this will provide more accurate measurements, important information, with the obligation to adhere to an oscillation limit. But that would force teams to limit this phenomenon, which would increase the design limitations of single-seaters.
The full article of the Technical Regulation on this topic:
“The outer edge of the Body Floor Group cannot deviate more than 8 mm in Z at any point between XR = -1260 and XR = -350 with distributed load. [0, 0, -600]”N is applied to all sides of the car.”
“The load is simultaneously at 6 points on each side of the car, nominally: [XR, Y] = [-480, 652,2], [-635, 686,3], [-790, 714,4], [-945, 736,7], [-1100, 753,3] and [-1255, 764,2]. A tolerance of 2mm in position will be allowed for manufacturing reasons.”
In the top view and as defined in Clause 3.5.6, nothing but the body shall be visible within 15 mm of any point where the load is applied by the Body Floor Group. A load application point that does not meet this requirement may be displaced by the minimum amount necessary to comply with X and/or Y.”
“The FIA may require that load points be modified if, in its opinion, the location of the load or the shape of the floor is specifically designed to allow a higher level of external floor flexibility in untested regions of the floor.”
“Once the load application positions have been fully determined, crews must provide a suitable means of applying the load to the top surface of the car body. The load will be applied with a 2.3 mm diameter rod. Details of this device are provided in the Appendix. Technical and Sporting Rules.”
“The body contact of any load distributor must be within a 25mm diameter cylinder, coaxial with the axis of load application. If the team’s preferred method requires passing through holes, these holes must be sealed to one or both of the upper and lower surfaces. The vehicle is always in orbit and the load when assessing overhead visibility around application points.”
“Loads will be applied to these rods in two stages:
i. The load will be applied in two stages: i. [0, 0, -50]N at each loading point to give 300N per side.
ii. [0, 0, -100]100N at each point of load application to get 600N per side.At each loading stage, deflection will be measured by laser scanning the hull.”
F1’s minimum weight will drop in 2023
This will decrease slightly in 2023 after seeing teams struggle to meet the minimum car weight in 2022. Now 796 kilograms will be determinedCompared to 798 kilograms in 2022. This is one kilo more than the original regulation for 2022.
Indeed, the minimum weight for the 2022 F1 season was revised upwards as most teams struggled to reach the originally planned 795 kilos. The FIA is therefore backing down and will ask teams to drop two kilos on the scale if they can.
Stronger roll cage, bigger mirrors
One of the powerful images of the 2022 Formula 1 season was Guanyu Zhou’s horrific crash at the start of the British Grand Prix. As usual, the FIA was quick to react, and the chilling sight will lead to tougher tests on the slide bar of F1 single-seaters.
They will have to respect more severe toughness tests more than before, especially horizontal tests. In 2024, “knife”-type coilovers like the Alfa Romeo C42 will be outright banned, and testing will become even more stringent.
The part will have to withstand heavier loads and withstand 15G impact with the ground. In addition, from 2023, the roll bar will be responsible for resisting forward and rear forces.
In addition, the mirrors will be enlarged after seeing teams test larger mirror prototypes designed for drivers’ rear vision. The purpose of these is to reduce the blind spot.
Fuel temperature is adjusted for air
The FIA decided to change the rules after several fuel temperature issues during the 2022 F1 season. In 2022, the temperature of fuel should not be below 20°C, from 2023 the temperature should not be lower. more than 10°C lower than the ambient temperature.
In cold weather, a general minimum temperature of 10°C will apply. The ambient temperature will be recorded by the meteorological service appointed by the FIA one hour before practice or three hours before the race.
F1 2023 wing bans
After the teams tried to innovate in 2022, the FIA took action officially banning these innovations because they were against the spirit of the Regulations and jeopardized their effectiveness.
The Aston Martin F1 rear wing, using side fins to add downforce to the top, was not deemed legal by the FIA. It confirmed that it would be banned in 2023, which did not surprise the team’s technical director.
On the Mercedes F1 side, the W14 won’t be eligible to feature the wide splitters, non-rolling front fenders seen on its predecessor in Austin. Banned immediately, this type of part is strictly prohibited in the Technical Regulations for 2023.
