The first race of the 2022 Formula 1 season saw plenty of action on track, including a thrilling battle at the front, as Max Verstappen made a series of unsuccessful attempts to take the lead from Charles Leclerc, before having to retire with problems at his Red Bull.
Reflecting on the dawn of F1’s new era, sporting director Ross Brawn warned that Sakhir was only the first date with the new cars, stressing that the FIA will do a proper analysis to see exactly how the tracking and overtaking They have been improved with the new aerodynamic package.
“It’s a [race] based sample, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” said Brawn, when asked by Motorsport.com if the changes to the regulations had achieved the desired goals. “But we haven’t seen any negatives today, which is a pretty good one.”
“I think now, once the drivers have made their comments on the race and the FIA starts looking at all the data, we’ll be able to see how we’ve been able to move forward.”
“But the previous cars were horrible, so we’ve been able to take that step. I think we’ve shown that the raceability of the car has to be an important consideration going forward.”
“It’s not about one stop and one solution. We need to continue this process and we need to keep working and understanding how to make great racing cars and continue development in that direction.”
The engineers who helped design the new package on behalf of the F1 organization have now joined the FIA’s technical department. This means that they now have direct access to the data of the teams, so that it can be analyzed properly.
“I think we’ll digest all the data and all the information, and we’ll get feedback from the teams and the drivers,” Brawn said.
“I’ve always said this is a process and it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, so we have to continue the process.”
“The team that has designed this car has moved to the FIA, so they have legitimate access to all the data on the car. They can look at all the results, see what needs to be improved and how we are progressing.”
“If we can keep this process going and if we can add racing capability to the priorities for new cars in the future, then I think it’s the right move.”
Brawn is not worried about the wide spread of the grid, as the top teams still have their traditional clear advantage.
“Obviously, with the new regulations, it seems to me that two or three teams have not done well. But it has not been that serious. As always, if we can have two or three at the front fighting each other and a strong midfield, So I think we should be happy. If these cars can compete with each other, that’s the key.”
“Don’t forget the impact that the cost cap will have, because no one is going to be able to spend another $100 million on your program to solve their problems.”
“So that’s going to have a flatter rate of development, so no one is going to walk away. I think a lot of things have come together, so we can expect to have a great year.”
Stefano Domenicali , CEO of F1, said the different tire strategies had added to the spectacle in Bahrain.
“First of all, we must not underestimate the work that Pirelli has done because, as you know, the tires have been in the spotlight,” commented the Italian.
“I think it’s a different typology that brought another element to the show, with different pit stop strategies, some got it right, some got it wrong, that’s part of the game, and it’s great.”
“On the other hand, we’ve seen so many overtakes that I couldn’t count them, which is creating something for the crowd.”
“As Ross [Brawn] said, we have to go step by step, but the early signs are very encouraging. We have to make sure everyone involved is doing the right job.”
“The other thing I can say from what we have seen is that there has been a great fight on the track, and it has been correct by all the drivers. It is a good sign for the first race, and hopefully it will continue for the next one. “.
Domenicali also made it clear that Ferrari’s early success will be a big boost for next month’s Emilia Romagna GP.
“There is no doubt that seeing Ferrari being competitive is very good for everyone, so I am sure this will have an impact on the number of tickets the promoter will sell, and I expect a big crowd at Imola, just like in the old days. “, he concluded.
