The 0.759% shift that created F1 2021's thriller
Formula 1’s craziest title fight in years was long in the making. GP RACING reveals how a tiny swing - in absolute terms – equated to a big change in the balance of F1 power in 2021
No one knew it at the time, but the pattern of the 2021 Formula 1 title battle was set way back in the pandemic spring and summer of 2020. As the world shut down, teams and rule-makers worked in something close to panic to keep the world championship afloat. Among the raft of changes decided upon was to use the same cars for two seasons, with only limited changes allowed.
To keep a lid on speeds, because of concerns about tyre integrity, parts of the aerodynamic surfaces at the back of the car were cut away. These changes – initially apparently small and relatively inconsequential – were the biggest single factor behind a season of Mercedes domination in 2020 turning into one of the most intense and closely fought campaigns in history the year after.
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