A mixed first impression

Lightning fast in the quick bits, more cumbersome in the slow stuff, the new Formula 1 generation leaves our man with a jumble of feelings on first contact

ALEX KALINAUCKAS

The 2021 Formula 1 season finale feels like a long time ago, but Autosport makes it a key task at last week’s Barcelona test to discover exactly how the championship’s new era visually stacks up against the last and what we witnessed first-hand in Abu Dhabi. So, on the first morning of the three-day event, we head out into the sunshine for a wander around the track’s opening sector. But our first key takeaway is delivered to our ears, not our eyes. As Charles Leclerc shoots by down the pitstraight in the Ferrari SF-75, the car sounds surprisingly different. With additional and bigger bodywork for 2022 compared to the ultra-high-downforce cars of 2017-21, there’s just more carbonfibre hitting the air. This creates a satisfying ‘swasshhhhing’ sound that wasn’t there before. Thanks…

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Autosport (Digital) - 1 Issue, 3/3/2022

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