| ‘Porpoising’ and ‘bouncing’ are two words that have become very familiar in F1 2022. In order to address vertical oscillating, the FIA has mandated new rules for 2023: The edges of the car floors will be raised by 15mm, while the diffuser throat height will also be raised and its outer elements stiffened. The problem with making changes on a critical F1 part with a long lead-time to build, such as a floor, is that big teams can use their bigger resources to find an optimal solution. Smaller ones will now have to divert attention to make a substantial change to something they might already have been happy with – and drain their budget as a result. Might an unintended consequence be for the gap from the midfield to the frontrunners to grow bigger than the new rules ever intended? By: Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief
Motorsport.com | 