According to what has been learned Motorsport.comlos Formula 1 teams are discussing plans to avoid an all-out testing war in 2025 by limiting the use of recent ground-effect cars.
The F1 grid is becoming increasingly competitive and the key to maximising performance on race weekends is in the fine-tuning of mechanical set-ups, so teams have been quick to realise the benefits that can be gained from testing with recent cars.
Under current F1 testing regulations, teams are allowed to test what are officially known as “previous cars” for an unlimited number of days.
This group includes cars that comply with the “technical regulations of any of the three calendar years immediately preceding the calendar year preceding the championship year.”
Translated to 2024, that means teams have been able to run their 2022 cars, which was the first year of the current generation of ground-effect cars, so they have relevance to the current cars.
Some teams are using ‘previous car’ testing to help prepare young drivers, such as Mercedeswhich this year has given valuable mileage to Andrea Kimi Antonelliin its 2022 W13.
Others, however, have taken the opportunity to run their 2022 cars for greater profits, especially Red Bullwhich rolled Max Verstappen in Imola with their RB18 ahead of this year’s Spanish Grand Prix to help increase their mechanical understanding of the problems they have suffered on the kerbs.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes testing at Imola
The potential development opportunities offered by such rounds alerted rival teams and Motorsport.com has been able to learn that the issue was put on the table during the last meeting of the Formula 1 Commission before the summer holidays.
There have been reports that some teams are considering further testing with ‘previous cars’ to test their entire teams ahead of 2025, and there are already moves to introduce a series of rules to limit what is allowed.
Talks between teams and the FIA at the level of Sports Advisory Committee are ongoing, and several key elements are likely to be added to next year’s regulations.
Although a final decision has not yet been made, the elements being discussed are a ban on racing on circuits included in the calendar 60 days before the Grand Prix is held, a restriction to only four days of testing (or 1,000 kilometres in total) for drivers competing in the current championship, and a possible limit of 20 days in total for drivers competing in the championship. test TPC (from previous cars) during the season.
Talks at the Sporting Advisory Committee are expected to finalise the rules in the coming weeks before they are submitted to the F1 Commission for approval later this year.
After Verstappen’s test at Imola with the RB18 Earlier this year, the team manager Ferrari, Fred Vasseurfelt that measures should be taken to separate testing with older cars to help young drivers gain experience from testing to add development knowledge.
“You can tell the difference between the TPCs (Pre-Car Tests) you do with your regular drivers because that, to me, is more development than anything else when you do a TPC a week before a race,” he said.
“I’m not complaining about them [Red Bull]”It’s by regulation, and it’s completely fine, but it’s more development than anything else.”
“If we have to keep an eye on it, we’ll have to split the two aspects: the days we do with our drivers and the days we do with the young drivers who don’t compete.”
One avenue that is already closed by the regulations is for teams to put development parts on track in tests with previous cars.
The current regulations state: “No test parts, sensors, instrumentation, test software, component changes, operational tests or procedural tests which give any information to the Competitor which relates to cars in the current Championship or cars which comply with the TCC shall be permitted.”
However, set-up changes are freely available, which can be invaluable as today’s cars often operate within a narrow performance window, so any help in understanding track requirements can be beneficial.
