The new regulations set by the FIA were supposed to ensure that there was more of a level playing field in Formula 1, and make the sport more entertaining for fans.
The new car design’s main feature was that it could run much better in dirty air, making following cars in front much easier than it was before without having to back off or find cleaner air.
The major changes seemed to have the desired affect at the start of the season, as Ferrari, who were struggling to compete under the old regulations, came flying out the blocks and made themselves the team to beat alongside Red Bull.
Mercedes starting off struggling with porpoising issues, but when the Silver Arrows managed to smooth out those problems, fans anticipated seeing an exciting three-way championship batter between Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
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As it happens, Mercedes lost too much ground in the development race to be able to compete for the majority of 2022, while Ferrari struggled to keep up the Red Bull who stormed to both championships with races to spare.
The retiring Sebastian Vettel has suggested that one good thing that the FIA have introduced is the budget cap, which was introduced in 2021 rather than as part of the new package of regulations this year.
Teams were permitted to spend a maximum of $145m, which prevents the richer teams such as Red Bull and Mercedes from blowing the other teams out of the water financially, and essentially buying the constructors’ championship year after year.
“A process has been started that has the potential to bring the field closer together,” said Vettel.
“Thanks to the budget cap, in the long term it won’t be only the teams with a lot of money that win, but also the smaller teams.
“However, that will only happen in a horizon of five years.”
The four-time world champion has said that he understands what the new technical regulations were meant to do, but remains unconvinced about the effect they have had.
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“It would have been better for the sport to have left the rules as they were,” said the 35-year-old, suggesting that the battle between Hamilton and Verstappen in 2021 was one of the most entertaining title races yet.
“The goal was to make overtaking and the show better and to make it easier for us to overtake. It’s gotten a little better, but the big revolution that was announced didn’t materialise.”
Fans will be hoping that Mercedes return to their best in 2023 and Ferrari shake their poor form to provide a more exciting championship battle with Red Bull than this year.