The new F1 cars are even heavier this year, due to the switch to ground effect, and that has become the biggest difference for the drivers on their first day of pre-season testing.
Due to increased safety structures and the switch to 18-inch wheels, the weight of Formula 1 cars has increased from 752kg last year to 795kg this season.
For McLaren driver Lando Norris, who led the timesheets on the first day of testing, the extra weight has left him feeling that these new cars aren’t quite as nimble as the previous generation.
“The weight makes a big difference just because of the handling and how the car reacts. It’s a lot heavier than last season, so it feels quite sluggish.
“It’s like you’re running on last season’s race fuel but now you’re on a qualifying lap in a way. You feel it in braking and in certain areas, the performance isn’t quite the same.
“But it shouldn’t take too long [to adjust] and I think in the end, we’ll be a little bit more used to it and it’ll feel like normal again.”
Haas driver Mick Schumacher echoed Norris ‘s words, saying the feeling of that extra weight was very noticeable to him compared to the 2021 cars.
“I think the main thing is weight,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com where the new cars felt most different.
“Obviously that plays a key role in almost every aspect, especially in the low speed corners. Overall though, I enjoy driving this car. I’ve only done 23 laps but hopefully I’ll be able to do a few more tomorrow. the initial feeling is positive,” he added.
Despite noticing that difference, Mick Schumacher was clear that the general feeling of the 2022 F1 cars was not that far from those of 2021.
“I wouldn’t say it’s night and day,” he explained. “I think overall, without going into too much detail, we just have to readjust. We’re going to have to look at things differently and probably approach things aloofly.”
“There will be different concerns compared to last year and I have to try to be one of the quickest drivers to analyze and understand them,” he concluded.
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
