P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why Adrian Newey was initially depressed by F1 2022 rules
The 2022 regulations focused on exploiting ground effect to improve racing by reducing the impact of turbulent air from cars ahead. Some designers and observers initially feared that the rules would lead to spec chassis and similar-looking cars like in IndyCar, but these fears were unfounded as teams implemented different concepts. Red Bull designer Adrian Newey admitted to feeling depressed when he first saw the draft regulations but found that there was room for interpretation within the details. He enjoyed the challenges presented by the rule changes and appreciated the opportunity to approach things from a fresh perspective. Red Bull’s dominant performance in 2022 and 2023 led rival teams to copy their downwash-based design concept, resulting in visually similar cars on the grid. As the regulations cycle progresses, the potential gains are getting smaller, but Red Bull has become better at finding performance tweaks. The team remains disciplined and ready to adapt if someone else discovers a significant improvement.
