“No more lift and coast in qualifying”: what the simulations say about the new rules

The package of regulation changes for Miami is the result of numerous simulations, which McLaren has chosen to share with the press. We thus learn that the cars will be slower by just a handful of tenths per lap and above all that qualifying should return to being more traditional. Lift and coast on the flying lap should be a thing of the past, which will increase the opportunities to make a difference under braking. How qualifying changes According to the simulations, from Miami the drivers will no longer have to lift their foot in qualifying. The reduction in the energy recoverable at each lap, in addition to the possibility of recharging to maximum power even with the accelerator at full throttle, will prevent you from having to release the throttle before the braking point. “There should no longer be lift and coast in qualifying,” says Mark Temple, McLaren Technical Director-Performance. The sudden slowdown caused by the release of the throttle should also disappear, which will force the pilots to use the brakes more. Andrea Stella comments: “I hope that, after these adjustments to the regulations, we will focus even more on braking as late as possible.” Another effect will be the reduction of clipping phases, which is counterbalanced by a slight loss of thrust from the electric motor, being able to recover and therefore deliver less energy with each lap. However, Temple assures that the slowdown will be marginal: “The loss is relatively small, I would say a few tenths depending on the track. In qualifying it comes from the slight reduction in thrust on the straight.” To this, in the race there is added the reduction of the electric power from 350 to 250 kW in some areas, which Temple reveals are those to be faced with closed wings: “In the race we will have a power [elettrica] reduced in areas that do not include the opening of active aerodynamics. We will waste some time there, but we will also use less energy, which we can use elsewhere. Overall, I’d say [che si perdono] 2-3 tenths.” The cars will be slower especially on the straight, but according to Temple this will not influence development decisions: “There is a small loss of performance of the power unit on the straight, which slightly increases sensitivity to aerodynamic drag, but we are talking about a very small effect. I don’t think it will have any impact on the direction of development.” More difficult overtaking, but in the right places Among the changes agreed are those aimed at reducing the speed differences between the various cars in the race, mainly through a weakening of the Boost mode. Mark Temple explains what will change: “The power is at its maximum at the start of the straight and then it starts to drop. Previously, if you pressed the Boost button, you had the full 350 kW, while now the effect is reduced: either you stay at the power you dropped to or you go back up to 150 kW if you have less”. The rule will also apply to the sections with closed wings in which the electrical power will be limited to 250 kW, a threshold that the Boost will not be able to exceed in any case. By activating it you will thus have a lower speed gain, making it unlikely to carry out a maneuver in those areas. Temple continues: “Exceeding will be more difficult in those areas, but that’s the goal. The idea is that if you can’t open up the active aerodynamics there, then it’s not a good place to overtake. […] I think we’ll see fewer opportunities for opportunistic overtaking in those more unusual places, but I think it’s the right trade-off for safety. The maneuvers on the main straights, however, I think will almost not be affected.” The hidden changes Finally, in Miami some corrections will also be made to the electric power delivery rules, not mentioned in the FIA ​​press release, but which could make driving for the drivers more intuitive in qualifying. This was revealed by Andrea Stella: “There are some peculiar aspects of the current regulations that have to do with the level at which the accelerator is pressed or throttled. Some of these will be removed with changes that haven’t been publicized much, but are part of this package.” Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images Mark Temple goes into more detail: “There was 95 to 98 percent subtlety. [di gas]where there was an interval that triggered the power limited scenario, but not the power limited pending scenario. This has been closed and now the two modes start at the same point. That specific oddity should have disappeared.” Another new feature concerns the point on the track at the end of the qualifying launch lap where the electric motor engages: “Now it will be easier for the driver, because he will no longer have to wait with the accelerator partially closed before going full throttle. It will be a little more natural.” Overall, the simulations paint a better picture after the changes, with the awareness, however, that new interventions may be necessary. Concludes Temple: “The strangest and counterintuitive things, such as when you release the accelerator, you are inefficient and want to get back on the gas, should have been eliminated or at least the goal is to remove as many of them as possible. There may be some things that we didn’t foresee and that we will have to review.”