Formula One makes rule changes after drivers' criticism

F1's governing body announces immediate rule changes following scathing criticism from drivers, including world champion Max Verstappen. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Formula One makes rule changes after drivers' criticism

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In a swift response to mounting criticism from its top competitors, Formula One's governing body, the FIA, has announced a series of immediate rule changes to the sport's technical regulations. The decision, confirmed late Tuesday, follows the Chinese Grand Prix where drivers, led by reigning four-time world champion Max Verstappen, publicly denounced the current racing format as unsustainable. Verstappen, who has dominated the sport for the past three seasons, labeled the spectacle "a joke" and suggested he would consider stepping away from the sport if significant alterations were not implemented. The core of the drivers' complaints centers on the new generation of ground-effect cars, introduced in 2022 with the promise of closer, more exciting racing. While the cars can follow each other more closely through corners, a phenomenon known as "dirty air"—the turbulent wake that destabilizes a pursuing car—remains a severe problem at high speeds on straights. This aerodynamic issue has made overtaking maneuvers excessively difficult and physically punishing, turning Grands Prix into strategic tire-management exercises rather than flat-out battles. The Shanghai circuit, with its long back straight leading into a tight hairpin, brutally exposed these flaws, with many planned overtakes failing despite the use of the Drag Reduction System (DRS). Verstappen's comments, coming from the sport's most successful and influential current driver, carried extraordinary weight and signaled a potential crisis for F1's leadership. "When the best driver in the world, the face of the championship, talks about walking away, the sport has to listen," said a senior team principal who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Dutchman's frustration echoed sentiments privately held by a broad swath of the grid, who have reported extreme physical discomfort and a lack of genuine wheel-to-wheel combat. The FIA, which had been collecting data on the issue since the season opener in Bahrain, found its hand forced by the public outcry from the Shanghai paddock. The specific technical directives, detailed in a confidential bulletin to teams, are understood to focus on modifying the aerodynamic...

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Categoria: cronaca