Andretti hopes for positive changes F1: 'Rightly going the other way now'

The new 2022 regulations are intended to make it easier for drivers to follow each other around the track, which should make for more overtaking. Mario Andretti is pleased that Formula 1 is finally moving in this direction.

F1 cars will once again start using ground effect, which will make it easier to follow other drivers around the track. Now, the hot air generated by the cars often causes drivers to have to keep a distance from each other, otherwise they lose a lot of downforce. Especially in the corners this is a big problem.

"The idea is to generate more downforce under the car, to reduce the influence of the areas at the top of the car, which disturb the air. They're rightly going the other way now, but I don't dare predict if that will be enough for the drivers to stay close to the car in front again in the turns", Andretti said in conversation with Auto, Motor und Sport.

A few years ago, the sport switched to wider cars and wings, which actually made the drivers more dependent on DRS and made it difficult to follow each other. The last time the ground effect was used was in the 1970s and 1980s. It is predicted that the new regulations will bring about positive changes, but to what extent this will be the case will only become clear during the first race in Bahrain. According to Andretti, even a small improvement will be progress.