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Formula 1 strikes back

2022-03-28T22:18:03.127Z


Two races have been enough to conclude that the new regulation offers the plus of spectacularity that motivated it


Verstappen and Lecrerc, during the last race. AFP7 via Europa Press (Europa Press)

In just 15 days, all the skeptics who questioned the effectiveness of the jolt that was given this winter to the technical regulations of Formula 1 in pursuit of the spectacle have been hiding until they practically disappeared.

The first two grand prix of the season, in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, certify in the eyes of most of the inhabitants of the

paddock

the success that its entry on the scene has meant.

Above all, because they are two circuits with a completely different configuration.

Ferrari's double at the start of the new season was followed by Max Verstappen's victory this Sunday, in Jeddah, where the current champion and Charles Leclerc staged an exchange of blows like the one they had already anticipated last week, just before The Dutchman's Red Bull ran dry due to a fuel supply failure.

With the problem solved, the red buffalo charged the Corniche Circuit again as it did in the winter tests, while the Scuderia accepted the challenge and put up a fight for the luck of the fans, who are rubbing their hands as they guess what wait and also the eyes,

Not even Leclerc could contain his excitement at the racing fun he had just performed, despite coming out the loser of the battle he waged to the very finish line, which he crossed just half a second behind the winner.

"I really enjoyed it;

Running like this is a joy.

I hope many more will come”, summed up the Monegasque, who cataloged as “clever tricks” the strategy that allowed Verstappen to overtake him, four laps from the end, thanks to the strengthening effect that the revised aerodynamic frame has given to the mobile rear wing (DRS).

With this mechanism introduced in 2011, a car that is driving behind another and is less than a second from the first when entering the established detection zone, will have an extra 15 to 20 kilometers per hour of speed on the straight immediately. rear when the pilot opens the center plane of the rear wing.

The main objective of the regulatory remodeling was to generate more attractive tests for the spectator, by increasing the amount of overtaking.

For this, the profile of the cars was redesigned, with the ground as the central part of the project, with the faith that the pursuer could get closer to the one in front, thanks to the disappearance of turbulence.

That, combined with the influence of DRS, encourages runners who are overtaken to have the option to fight back.

Exactly as Leclerc successfully did at the World Cup premiere, in Sakhir, and even twice in Jeddah, even though Mad Max ended up winning the third round there.

"The DRS has to stay, at least a few more years, because otherwise racing would be very boring," agreed Leclerc, before leaving Saudi Arabia.

“Although it has already been shown that we can get much closer to whoever is in front of us, we are not yet at the point where we can get rid of DRS.

In fact, it has become one more element in everyone's strategy, both when attacking and defending themselves”, added the provisional leader of the general table, who now leads with a margin of 12 points compared to Carlos Sainz, his neighbor in the workshop of the maker of Il Cavallino Rampante.

In that same line the winner of Sunday night pronounced.

“If he hadn't had the DRS, he would never have been able to overtake [Leclerc].

We still depend too much on it.

And, logically, there are routes that make it easier than others”,

All of the above also seems to have increased that long-awaited equality.

In this last Grand Prix, the first four to cross the finish line were separated by less than 11 seconds, when last season that margin was 27 seconds.

Seven days earlier, in Bahrain, the difference between the winner (Leclerc) and the fourth (Russell) was once again 11.2 seconds, 35 seconds less than a year ago.

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2022-03-28

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