In the year In 2022, the revision of the Formula 1 technical regulations required drivers to change the aerodynamic profiles of the cars to make it easier for drivers to compete.
By reducing the ‘dirty air’ created by the displacement of the moving vehicle, it becomes easier for cars to keep up and try to overtake others. This has been the case in various arenas this season.
But the high-altitude Mexico City track was an exception to the rule. Last weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix was another line-up affair where the top six positions at the end of lap one were the same as last.
Some drivers predicted this would happen based on what they found in practice. When the air is thinner at higher altitudes, there is less dirty air, but this means that the drag effect is weaker than at sea level. It also means that there is less cold air inside, which is very important for cars to control the temperature of the internal organs.
Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas said he “had to start saving the brakes” once he got “closer to him” as he pushed Alpine’s Fernando Alonso for position. Alonso spent just eight laps in second before Bottas dropped back to cool his car. He spent the next 27 laps looking at Alpine’s rear wing.
Boots’ teammate Zhou Guanyu had first-hand experience of the track and was surprised by how little grip there was. “The track is very slippery. On the surface, you’re sliding a lot. Trying to have that confidence to qualify for me and the race was difficult.
In his second stint at Zhuhai, he was stuck in a train of cars, where, like Bottas, he took a long time before slowing down to control the temperature.
Advertisement | Become a RaceFans fan and
The slippery surface and lack of grip also have negative implications for race tactics. “This circuit is a very low tire degradation circuit, very smooth surface, very low load, not a lot of high-speed content,” explained Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough. “So it’s the lowest humiliation in history.
“Increasing grain is always a bit of a topic with tires this year, especially with very low grip. For most people, we see the front grain on Friday, but it usually clears up by the end of the week.
Early in the race, enough drivers who raced on Pirelli’s softer tires realized they could extend their times. The track surface proved kind to the tires but tire management was still a concern when running in traffic as cold air would reach other parts of the car. Without a steep wear curve, there is little difference in speed between drivers on new and old tires.
“It’s a heat race, and dirty air is terrible around here because the brakes get hot, the tires get hot,” explained Williams’ Alexander Albon.
“Downforce is also obviously off, and you need fresh air to take care of the tires. But everybody’s managing so you really get into this sort of rally race where everybody’s driving with tyres.
Albon was one of the few drivers to make some progress in the race, dropping from 17th on the grid to finish 12th.
Advertisement | Become a RaceFans fan and
“We did well in our strategy to find the clean air gaps. And really, what changed our race was being able to pass Sebastian.” [Vettel] Because I think it allowed us to get fresh air in the tires and keep pushing forward.
While there were stacks and close battles in the grand prix involving drivers heading towards the back of the grid, there were only four laps between the top six after the opener where drivers raced between DRS.
The first three were followed by Sergio Perez’s pit stop immediately after the Red Bull driver got behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and was soon passed. Another time in the second half of the race was Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz-Jenner, who extended his first time as Alonso caught up.
Alpine scored on the next lap, and like everyone else he had to manage the heat of the power unit he spent the rest of the race with. That stopped drivers from attacking, and in Alonso’s case, cylinder failure ultimately ended the race early.
The characteristics of the F1 cars may change, but the characteristics of the circuit have not changed. Drivers face the same problems every year unless F1 Formula One follows the cold season at the beginning of the year. Barring that, as McLaren’s Lando Norris observes, the lack of a reservation is a “must do” in Mexico.
Become a RaceFans fan
RaceFans is run in part by the generous support of its readers. By donating £1 a month or £12 a year (or the equivalent whichever currency you use), you can help cover the costs of creating, hosting and developing RaceFans today and into the future.
Become a RaceFans fan today and browse the site ad-free. Register or find out more at the links below:
2022 Mexican Grand Prix
Browse all 2022 Mexican Grand Prix articles
