Red Bull heaves a sigh of relief as F1 arrives at a weight compromise

The FIA has reportedly agreed to increase the minimum weight of the 2022 cars by a further 3 kilograms following a request by Red Bull.

At least eight out of the ten teams have reportedly agreed to the increase, allowing Milton Keynes to breathe a sigh of relief. The development comes following their struggles to keep the RB18 within the original minimum weight.

As reported by Motorsport Italia, the FIA is reportedly set to announce the decision in Bahrain at the “official” pre-season test later this week. The new allowance was reportedly to remedy the following problems identified during Barcelona testing. The breakdown of the 3 kg increase has been given as:

“One kilogram to account for the new 18-inch tires/wheel rims, which were heavier than expected compared to initial prototypes; another kilogram to account for wheel covers, which were reportedly not accounted for in the original weight calculations, while a further kilogram accounts for additional reinforcements to the car’s floor to minimize damage.”

Along with the new technical regulations, the FIA has introduced various stringent safety measures for the upcoming season that necessitated an increase in minimum weight by a substantial margin. The introduction of 18-inch rims, along with wheel covers, also contributed significantly to the overall weight.

The new generation of cars is the heaviest in F1 history – nearly 100 kilograms heavier than the original turbo-hybrid cars from 2014.

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Red Bull struggling with “overweight” RB18

While F1 cars are usually built way below the minimum weight, with ballast later added to meet the weight requirements, Red Bull is reportedly struggling to stay under the limits. The RB18 was rumored to be drastically overweight, with the team’s senior advisor Helmut Marko suggesting that the team had “a lot of work to do” before the first race in Bahrain.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit was reportedly not alone in struggling to stay within the weight limits. Apart from McLaren and Alfa Romeo, all other teams were also struggling to be on the minimum limit.

Following the Barcelona test, Red Bull called for a further increase in minimum weight despite an already hefty increase. While there was some fierce opposition from Alfa Romeo and McLaren, who were unwilling to forego their weight advantage, the motorsport governing body relented to a meager increase.