The FIA’s technical advisory group has reportedly backtracked on its plans to lower the weight limit for Formula 1 cars, instead of sticking to the 2022 798kg cap.
Formula 1 car weight has increased significantly in a relatively short period of time, with 2013 cars limited to 642kg, 156kg less than the cap for 2022, but it was planned to reduce the maximum weight to both the car and driver combined can weigh.
Following the change in regulations for 2022, the cars have been reduced from 749kg to 798kg, which has been commented on by drivers, with world champion Max Verstappen saying the cars are “extremely heavy now”.
But as the Dutchman also said, he hasn’t “seen a quick fix to this” and it looks like the FIA have come to the same conclusion as they have abandoned plans to lower the limit.
The FIA had aimed to reduce the limit by 2kg, as revealed in technical regulations published in June 2022, but Auto Motor und Sport now reports that the technical advisory group has decided to maintain the current cap.
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Despite the introduction of carbon fiber as a major component, today’s F1 cars are much heavier than their predecessors.
The Ferrari 375 F1 which was used in the sport’s first season in 1950 weighed just 560kg, 238kg less than the RB18.
But as the sport has evolved, technical innovations have seen the weight increase. In 2014, following the introduction of turbo hybrid engines, the limit was increased from 642 kg to 691 kg. In the years that followed, the banning of expensive but lightweight materials along with improved safety measures and bigger tires meant that the limit finally reached what it is today.
A notable change also came in 2019 when the FIA introduced a minimum driver weight of 80kg, which was good news for taller members of the paddock such as the 1.85m George Russell. For those unable to reach the limit on their own, the deficit would be compensated by the weight of the seat.
Many teams have struggled to get close to the minimum weight limit for 2022, Aston Martin being the worst of them. At the start of the season, the AMR22 weighed 815 kg and this increased by another 3 kg at the Australian Grand Prix.
Red Bull also had weight issues with the RB18 measuring 810kg before losing 8kg before the race at Imola.