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The NASCAR-like problem that’s been slowly developing in Formula 1

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The NASCAR-like problem that's been slowly developing in Formula 1

As a seasoned gamer with decades of virtual racing under my belt, I must confess, the real-life Formula 1 season of 2024 has left me utterly spellbound! The thrilling unpredictability and parity we’re witnessing is something I could only dream of experiencing in my Grand Prix Legends days.

So far in the 2024 Formula 1 season, we’ve seen a level of achievement and equality among teams that no one predicted. After Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s incredibly dominant season in 2023, it seemed likely that another year of dominance would follow. However, this season has proven to be quite different.

2024’s initial five races were quite predictable, but since then, viewers have been treated to an exceptionally close contest for the top position on the track, which is arguably one of the tightest in the history of this racing sport.

On weekends, typically four teams have an opportunity to secure pole position and victory, though the extent of each team’s potential success depends on factors like the track and weather conditions.

Indeed, a total of seven drivers have claimed victories this season so far, with six of them managing to win at least once in the last nine races. Interestingly, only two drivers have repeated their wins since the Miami Grand Prix, which was held nine races back. This level of equality among competitors has been strikingly absent from the sport for quite some time and is a rarity indeed.

While the battles at the front have been as close and unpredictable as ever, a few problems have recently emerged as a result.

Regrettably, most excellent things, including those in motorsports, often carry their share of consequences. Over the course of the Belgian Grand Prix race weekend, two such challenges surfaced quite dramatically.

Initially, poor air quality posed a significant issue during the entire race, potentially more so than any other time at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Moreover, overtaking proved exceptionally challenging.

In the closing phase, Lewis Hamilton significantly outpaced George Russell with new tires, but when he got within 1.5 seconds of his Mercedes colleague, his speed suddenly slowed down considerably. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen was faster than Lando Norris in the initial stages, yet he couldn’t manage to overtake him.

Indeed, reducing the DRS zone along Kemmel Straight didn’t seem to make a difference, but it was only recently that concerns were raised about overtaking being too straightforward, leading to an unsuccessful attempt at change. Traditionally, Spa has been notorious for its overtaking opportunities, which highlights just how significant the impact of turbulent air can be on racing dynamics.

Then there’s the bigger issue of the cars being too closely matched.

To minimize the impact of polluted air and enhance overtaking opportunities, it’s beneficial to maintain a speed difference between the faster attacking vehicle and the slower defending one. Trying to keep pace with the car in front or only going slightly faster won’t enable you to overtake effectively. Factors like having fresher tires can contribute to creating this speed gap.

At the Belgian Grand Prix, I found myself cheering for an intense battle among Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull. These three teams were neck-and-neck in terms of speed throughout the race, with Ferrari slightly trailing behind, but still putting up a good fight.

In a situation where everyone was quite similar, it was the track position that ultimately mattered most since there wasn’t much speed variation among them, making it difficult for anyone to create a noticeable gap and overtake the others.

As a longtime Formula One fan, I must admit that I was rather disappointed by the Belgian Grand Prix this year. Despite my high hopes for an exciting and unpredictable race, it ended up being quite the opposite. With my years of watching these races, I’ve come to expect thrilling finishes that keep me on the edge of my seat, but this year’s Belgian Grand Prix fell short in that regard. The close proximity of three cars may have seemed exciting to some, but it lacked the genuine threat of an overtake that makes a race truly memorable. I was left feeling let down and wishing for a more exciting conclusion to what could have been a fantastic race.

On the other side of the world, NASCAR is experiencing a very similar problem.

When considering sports car racing, NASCAR and Formula 1 might not immediately spring to mind as comparable; instead, they are quite distinct in terms of their vehicles, drivers, circuits, and even supporter demographics.

In terms of the actual racing and how it’s being influenced by different elements, surprisingly, the outcomes have been quite consistent.

Since its debut in 2022, there’s been a lot of discussion about the problems encountered by NASCAR’s Next Gen car in terms of its racing performance.

All these aspects such as insufficient power, the back diffuser, firmness of the vehicle frames, enhanced traction, and minimal tire wear seem to have led to a situation where all the vehicles are fairly comparable.

In numerous discussions on his podcast titled “Actions Detrimental,” Denny Hamlin has expressed thoughts about this specific topic. Despite fans, drivers, and teams having lengthy debates on methods to lessen the challenge of passing, particularly on road courses and short tracks, these discussions hold little value if all vehicles maintain identical speeds around the racetrack.

In NASCAR, this issue stands out more prominently because the Cup Series predominantly uses identical vehicles (spec series), whereas in Formula 1, each of the 10 teams constructs their own unique cars within certain limits. Although the current competition is quite close, there are still noticeable differences.

Is there any way to fix this problem?

At some stage, a specific group of regulations becomes fully optimized, implying that the engineers, working under those regulations, have found the most efficient methods to increase the speed of their vehicles. Consequently, they have pushed their machines to their maximum potential; they’ve hit the limit or reached the upper boundary.

Working within constraints like a limited box of tools and specific conditions, you’ll eventually reach a point where there’s no more progress to be made. This is the predicament NASCAR teams face now, as the Next Gen car, being a mostly standardized racing series, offers them limited scope for innovative engineering solutions.

For three consecutive years, Formula 1 has been steadily approaching its mark, thanks to the introduction of ground effect, cost cap regulations. This period, initially characterized by one team outshining others, has evolved into a competition where the gap between the leading teams and the rest is sometimes minimal, making it one of the closest battles in the history of Formula 1.

As a gamer, I’d say, “It’s clear that things need a fresh start. Come 2026, we’re not just tweaking the rules, but completely overhauling them, giving all teams a clean slate to compete on.”

In many cases, there’s usually one standout team and driver, like Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton in 2014, who show up with a top-notch setup from the get-go. This results in several more years of their dominance and sparse competition grids, as it takes time for other teams to catch up and understand the situation.

Expressing it in a more conversational manner: It seems a bit ungrateful to grumble about the quality of races in Formula 1 right now, considering how intense the competition is currently. We should savor this moment because once new regulations come into play, the fierce battle among the top drivers might not be as prevalent anymore.

Considering that the majority of Formula 1 seasons since the introduction of the hybrid engine in 2014 have been competitive and exciting, it’s a wonderful dilemma we find ourselves in at the moment.

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2024-08-10 16:02

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