Formula 1 cars get wider, longer and heavier

Making the car bigger and heavier This may seem counterproductive, but this is exactly what has happened in Formula One over the past two decades.

Red Bull Racing recently brought out its first Formula 1 car – the 2005 RB1 – to be pitted against the current RB20 at a very wet Silverstone circuit. David Coulthard raced the RB1 in Red Bull’s first season, while reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen (who was just eight when the RB1 debuted) got to reacquaint himself with the car when he raced it in the RB20.

F1 has gone through several rule changes since Red Bull joined the sport in the early 2000s by purchasing the struggling Jaguar team from Ford. That much is immediately apparent when seeing the RB1 and RB20 side by side. The 2024 car is more than 3.2 feet longer, about a foot wider, and weighs about 440 pounds more than the 2005 car.

The extra weight is partly due to the current hybrid setup, which was first introduced in 2014. The 2005 car used a simpler naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V-10 engine without any electrification. Known for its incredible sound, the V-10 was replaced in 2006 by a 2.4-liter V-8, a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) and some degree of electrification was later added before the full-fat hybrid system was introduced.

A major rule change for the 2017 season required the cars to be longer and wider, with wider tires. The changes were designed to increase downforce, which did result in significantly lower lap times. The latest overhaul of car design for the 2022 season has greatly simplified the aerodynamics, with a greater focus on ground-effect downforce generated by the floor, rather than overhead air attachments. But that hasn’t made the cars any smaller.

The next major rule change is scheduled for 2026 and focuses on the powerplant. The current turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 internal combustion engine will remain, but the new powerplant will be simpler due to the elimination of the MGU-H, an electric motor-generator that recovers energy from exhaust gases via the turbocharger. The MGU-K, which recovers energy via regenerative braking, will remain and provide more power. F1 expects peak system output to exceed 1,000 horsepower, but with lower fuel consumption than the current car.

This article was originally published by ClassicCars.com’s editorial partner Motor Authority