Formula 1 ‘Automobile Display’ format unveiled

Formula 1 is looking to open up the technical side of the sport to fans with a new ‘Automobile Display’, with further details now revealed.

The series is heading into an all-new era for the 2022 season, with redesigned cars in a bid to promote closer racing and more overtaking, as well as new 18-inch wheels from Pirelli to replace the former 13-inch models.

There is also a new E10 fuel for the power unit manufacturers to contend with, while the PUs themselves have been updated ahead of a freeze on development.

At this stage, the 2022 challengers are of course the stars of the show as teams remove the covers and reveal some of their unique innovations.

For a new era that was being billed as one in which differences between the 2022 cars would be limited, so far that has certainly not been the case.

This is a trend we are likely to see continue throughout the season as the development war ramps up. But while for many teams launch season has been about keeping some of their work hidden, Formula 1 is moving towards putting it on full display for the fans, as well as explaining how it works.

In an update to the sporting regulations, the teams must now submit a document to the FIA, no less than 23 hours before FP1, which names and briefly describes any aerodynamic or bodywork components and assemblies that were not in use at the last race but will be at that race weekend.

This will then be made available to media at the ‘pre-event Automobile Display’, which must take place at least 90 minutes before Free Practice 1 starts.

Both cars must be outside the garage for up to one hour to the media, in the specification they will run on the track.

There will then be a second session 30 minutes after qualifying when the race director will select five teams which must each present one car that will be under parc ferme conditions like all other cars on the grid.

A senior official must be available to talk the media through any changes made since the Friday session.

The 2022 campaign will get under way with the Bahrain Grand Prix, beginning on March 18 with race day on March 20.

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Nikolas Tombazis states that the FIA will watching the new cars for rule breaking.