Decoding the term F1 ‘concept car’ and what it really means

Since the start of the 2023 season, the word 'car concept' has been heard multiple times in the F1 paddock by different teams and their principals. There has been talk of Mercedes changing their car concept and other teams bringing in upgrades to theirs, but what actually is an F1 car concept?

When the word 'car concept' is heard, many might tend to think about the design of a car and how it is being altered through upgrades that are brought in at different times of the year. However, the actual meaning of a car concept is much more diverse.

Technically speaking, a car concept in F1 is not something physical, it is more of a theoretical understanding of a car's design and performance. It helps teams in understanding the elements of their car and how each part is performing during different conditions. The concept doesn't remain fixed and changes throughout the length of the season whenever the smallest of upgrades is introduced to the car.

This is the reason why a car's concept is of utmost importance to teams on the grid. It helps in understanding the car better and thus, helps in extracting the maximum performance through developments.

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What elements are included in an F1 car concept?

Obviously, there is not just a single part of the car that helps it go faster and remain competitive. As Mercedes quoted on their website, there are three technical elements of any Formula 1 car that extracts the performance:

• Tires
• Power Unit
• Aerodynamics

Of these three, aerodynamics plays the most important role in the pace of a car since this is the part that helps in the generation of down speed and hence, cornering speed. Although there are multiple power unit producers on the grid, it plays a significantly lesser part in the performance of a car in contrast to the aerodynamics.

In turn, the aerodynamics of a car is being worked on by the team through different setups around different tracks. This also includes the aero-package, which helps in further development. Red Bull is the most prominent example of a good aerodynamic package on the current grid. So, the aero is not just the shape of the car, there's more to it.

While the wings and sidepods are important for a car's performance, most of the downforce that is generated is because of the design of the car's floor. This is where the air passes through and is directed in different ways, helping produce more downforce.

While more downforce in an F1 car reduces the overall speed, it helps in better cornering ability and vice versa. With just the right amount of downforce, teams can extract the most out of their cars, and this is where the car concept justifies its importance.