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F1 confirms ground effect for 2021 cars

F1 confirms ground effect for 2021 cars

17-07-2019 18:06 Last update: 17-07-2021 13:39
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Bevan Youl

With the plans and regulations discussion underway for the 2021 Formula 1 season it has been confirmed that ‘ground effect’ will be returning to the news cars to improve closer racing.

The new rules looking to be in place for 2021 are a change of how aerodynamics work on the current cars and how they produce downforce.
 
The main idea is to get rid of the small, complex parts of the cars that help generate downforce but create more turbulent air behind.
 
The front wing will be simplified a lot more than it has been for this year, but the biggest change will be underneath the car, with Venturi tunnels leading to a deep twin diffuser that will produce the majority of the downforce.
 
This concept is similar to what Lotus first introduce back in the 70’s before it was banned in 1983.
 
Nikolas Tombazis, FIA’s single-seater technical head said: “We want to make it more possible for cars to race each and follow each other and to have more exciting battles.
 
“We want to have tyres that enable people to fight each other without degrading or only giving a short interval for the person attacking to attack.
 
“They are simpler than the current cars because a lot of the small components have been removed: especially in front of the sidepods, the front wings are simpler.
 
“There is a diffuser going right under the car – a venturi channel type manner. There are tunnels under the sidepods from the front to the back.”
 
A reduction of the reduction of downforce is what Tombazis is aiming towards, looking at only a loss of 5-10%.