Dirty air another concern in F1? 'It's definitely not getting better'

After the Bahrain Grand Prix, the topic of dirty air came up again in Formula 1. Dirty air makes it harder to overtake or go faster during a session, which can be detrimental to the quality. George Russell, Charles Leclerc and Nico Hulkenberg explain their findings on the subject after the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Leclerc and Russell on dirty air in Bahrain

Leclerc says: "I've heard that. However, on our side, this year is a little bit better compared to last year. So I don't know if it's part of the characteristics we have improved compared to last year, which made our car very difficult to drive. But this year, it's quite a bit better for us to follow."

Russell experiences it slightly differently from Leclerc, explaining that it is not necessarily getting better. "I wouldn't say it's getting easier. It's either staying the same or getting slightly worse. But I think it's only natural as we're all moving further and further away from the initial regulation."

Hulkenberg: 'Differs per car'

The Mercedes driver is referring to the technical regulation in Formula 1, which has been in the sport from 2022. They ensured the downforce is mainly generated through the floor, which will, therefore, produce less dirty air.

Hulkenberg also makes a comment. "It's probably car-dependent. Some cars take it better than others. I think, like George says, definitely not getting better. Maybe slightly worse, but it also depends. If you have a bunch of cars in front, so two, three, it makes it worse than just one. So, several factors play into that," the German explained.