“They’ve already started!” – F1 pundit on teams protesting each other

The Barcelona pre-season test was the first time that all teams unveiled their 2022 cars developed according to F1’s new technical regulations.

With each team interpreting the radical rules in their own way, F1 pundit Ted Kravitz believes teams will be raring to test out the limits of the new regulations by protesting rivals’ ideas. Speaking in a Sky Sports Q&A, he said:

“[The protests] have already started! There are already lots of teams looking at various bits on other cars and going, ‘hang on, I didn’t think we were allowed to do that!’ Every single thing is going to be objected or even protested. That’s the problem for these race directors – these two guys are coming in at a particularly red-hot time for inter-team protests.”

Several teams such as Red Bull and Ferrari have approached the new rules with bold designs that have raised a lot of eyebrows. Red Bull’s radical sidepod design, in particular, has been a major talking point throughout testing. According to Kravitz, several teams have employed designs and concepts that are against the 'spirit of the regulations'.

Meanwhile, other teams such as Mercedes have reportedly withheld upgrades until the Bahrain test. The delay in implementing these upgrades is an effort to prevent the FIA from banning them ahead of the season opener.

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F2 teams object to junior formulae being used as synthetic fuel “testbeds” for F1

Formula 2 team bosses have protested against F1 using its junior formulae to test synthetic fuels ahead of its adoption in 2026.

Earlier this year, FOM announced that synthetic fuels would be trialed in junior categories before being introduced in F1. Speaking to RaceFans, Carlin team boss Trevor Carlin said:

“I don’t think it really makes a lot of sense for us to be a test bed for Formula 1. Because everything we’ve got is spec. We’re not allowed to change anything. [F1 teams] have a lot of money, a lot of resources and engine companies. So, I think that type of work, they should be doing themselves and we shouldn’t really get involved hopefully we’ll benefit from it when they’ve done the work for a change.”

As part of its push to make the sport carbon-neutral by 2030, FOM intends to switch to sustainable synthetic fuels, along with slightly tweaked power units from 2026. F2 teams say the decision is unfair since it's essentially a development program paid for by young drivers. Teams were also concerned about a potential increase in operating costs.

F2 and F3 also acted as testbeds for F1 ahead of the latter’s switch to 18-inch rims, with the junior categories making the switch to the bigger rims in 2020.