Whether fans are convinced the 2022 rule changes have worked only they can know, but the likes of Mercedes Andy Shovlin are not entirely convinced.

Despite the massive rules overhaul introduced this year, the changes haven't really caused any seismic changes to the order… which no doubt explains why Stefano Domenicali is still pondering gimmicks such as revers grids.

Granted, Red Bull is running away with both titles, but 2021 showed us that Mercedes was already under pressure.

While cars are able to follow more closely this year, the problem in terms of overtaking remains, and as a consequence all too often we have witnessed those infamous DRS trains.

Indeed, with many still regarding DRS as a gimmick, there have been races this year where it presented the only real means of making a successful pass.

Then there is the whole question of porpoising and bouncing, which continues to affect some teams more than others.

Whether fans are convinced the changes have worked only they can know, but the likes of Mercedes Andy Shovlin are not entirely convinced.

"Following is a little bit easier," he admits. "There's some circuits where, historically, you had very little overtaking, like Budapest. And the race there was a bit more interesting.

"You've also got the effect that, when you bring in new rules, and when they're completely new, like this set, it does sort of reset the competitive order," he adds. "We haven't quite got the close racing now: it looks like Red Bull have emerged as a clear front- runner.

"So, the races are a bit more predictable than they were, perhaps at the back end of last year. But it's a small step in the right direction and an awful lot of change to get there.

"Maybe the big one that we'd hoped for, that I don't think we've seen, is the field closing up," he says. "You know, it's still a broadly similar order of teams front to back."

"You don't think in this way in our world," says Red Bull's technical director, Pierre Wache. "We try to optimise and maximise the performance of what perimeter you have, I will say.

"In terms of spectacle, do you see a better race? For us? It looks a little bit better than last year in terms of performance, relative to the others.

"These are challenging rules. I think, at the moment, it looks better than what I expected, to be honest, in terms of following it as a car and after recording that, the rest is a relative."

"As engineers, our job is to take a set of rules and try to make the car as fast as we can do within those rules," says Williams Tom McCullough. "The rules have posed some bigger challenges than we all expected, especially at the start of the year.

"It's been a fascinating year, it's been a very interesting year. You learn more when you have problems, you know, and, for sure, at the start of the year, a lot of teams up and down the pit lane, their cars didn't perform as per their simulation tools, ourselves included in that, so it's been really interesting from a technical perspective."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by ancient70!, 17/09/2022 10:09

"My perception of the new rules is they definitely made for closer racing, especially in the midfield. As for the overall team order, anyone who thought Williams would be competing for the championship due to the rule change, is living in La La land! The top teams have much better problem solving resources and experience, to enable to dig themselves out of a hole quickly, ie. as Merc did this year.
As to the DRS question, I have wondered if scrapping it would solve the DRS trains? In the opening laps of a race you often get non DRS passes before it is enabled. Without it slipstreaming can be more effective. If the cars then still remain in formation it just means there is no significant performance differential, and overtaking is decided by other factors, ie. mistakes, strategy and weather."

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2. Posted by Defiant, 16/09/2022 16:47

"Any large change of rules has had this result for as long as I can remember. It's rarely a good thing in the short term. As Spindoctor said, for 2021 the difference between cars had shrunk, it had all the signs of being a good season. Bad management and terrible stewardship aside, it was.
Throwing a rule change in was always going to spoil that closeness, but eventually it'll be good again, just in time for another rule change.

As for Shovlin not convinced about these rules...... well, as your boys got it wrong I wouldn't expect a different view from your camp."

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 16/09/2022 14:18

"The pre-2022 Formula had stabilised & had become quite competitive. Mercedes' big lead had been whittled away: RBR had the fastest car last season & had Verstappen been less aggressive, they should have won pretty easily.

It seemed obvious that the 2022 Rules would lead once again to one or maybe two Teams becoming dominant, at least at first. There was an outside possibility that it might not be one of the "Big Three" but given the primacy of aerodynamics in this new Formula, RBR (Adrian Newey) were always favourites to come out on top. So it has proved. Ferrari's resurgence has been a pleasant surprise & Mercedes' car problems have definitely added "spice" to the season.

This Formula should have stabilised again by 2025 with Mercedes probably being roughly on par with Ferrari & RBR - just in time for more potential disruption. Unless Ferrari can get their act together, RBR look set to win at least another couple of Championships."

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4. Posted by JamesD, 16/09/2022 13:10

"The rules have certainly allowed cars to follow each other much more closely but again it's the teams with the most money that are at the front.

We've not had our Leicester City moment as yet."

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2022 rules a "small step in the right direction", says Shovlin

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