Brawn: F1 will 'nudge back' any regulation-damaging designs

Ross Brawn says Formula 1 won't hesitate to intervene and rein in any technical innovations whipped up by the teams this year that may undermine the intent of F1's revamped regulations.

This year's all-new rulebook was devised by F1's technical working group first and foremost with the ambition of tightening the field and boosting the show on the track by allowing cars to follow each other more closely.

F1's approach relies on ground effects aerodynamics where most of a car's downforce is generated by its underbody rather than by its front and rear wings.

The new concepts successfully passed their litmus tests last week in Barcelona, but Brawn is keeping a close eye on each team's design, making sure they don't run counter to the spirit of the new rules.

"I don't think any of [the new innovations are] damaging the fundamental characteristics of the car," Brawn said, quoted by RacingNews365.

"But I have said this many times, the working group who worked together to design this car will keep on working.

"[We] now have access to the data and designs and they'll be evaluating whether any of these designs are moving in the wrong direction, and then we'll nudge them back again.

"I really think, from talking to some of the drivers, that they're seeing and appreciating the difference in this car to follow another car."

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In Barcelona, F1's field showcased as expected an array of innovative designs. From various interpretations on the theme of front wings to sculpted sidepods or to creative floor cutouts, Brawn's eagle-eye didn't miss a detail.

But unsurprisingly, Ferrari's bold new F1-75 was definitely a stand-out for F1's managing director.

"I think if you look at the Ferrari, it's very extreme, those very deeply sculpted sidepods," said Brawn.

"There is a lot of interesting detail on the sides of that floor, a huge number of solutions in terms of the detail on the edge of the floor."

F1 teams are expected to roll out their first upgrades next week in Bahrain when everyone resumes their pre-season preparations ahead of the first round of the 2022 F1 World Championship that will take place at Sakhir.

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