Five times Formula 1 teams aced the new regulation changes

F1 regulation changes can often shake up the competitive order. Here are 5 instances of teams acing a massive rule change.

Jenson Button (L) and Rubens Barrichello pose with the Brawn GP team. (Image: Twitter)
By Shayne Dias | Mar 20, 2022 | 4 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

The rules governing how Formula 1 cars are built are consistently evolving. It’s why F1 regulation changes are a standard part of the sport, and why the look of cars has constantly changed.

However, there are times when the new regulations bring about a massive overhaul. And this can often lead to a new championship contender emerging.

F1 has undergone arguably the biggest rule change in decades for 2022. The return of ground effect-based cars is supposed to make for closer racing and easier following of cars.

Also read: 6 young drivers to keep an eye on in the 2022 Formula 1 season

But, as history has shown us, it can also lead to the emergence of a new competitor. Here are 5 instances of teams acing regulation changes to become championship contenders.

Mercedes (2014)

The last of the big F1 regulation changes before 2022 came in 2014. This was the year F1 introduced the V6 turbo-hybrid engines into the fold. This meant all teams had to focus on integrating a wholly new kind of engine, and pretty much everyone was starting from scratch.

But it’s fair to say that Mercedes aced the regulations better than most. The German car manufacturer started development work on the new engine early, and it showed. Come pre-season testing and they were the fastest and most reliable car on the grid.

Even the championship was contended by the two Merc drivers – Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. And a Mercedes driver won the title in all years from 2014-20, with the team also winning the constructor’s championship in those years and 2021 too.

Brawn GP (2009)

From Mercedes to the team that they bought when they re-entered the sport as a works team. Brawn GP were born from the ashes of the Honda F1 team that suddenly pulled out of the sport at the end of 2008. For many, them even being on the grid was a success story in itself.

However, the team had started work early on their 2009 car. This meant they had a fairly competitive machine and, come pre-season, were the fastest team – despite trying to hide their pace! And they were dominant in the first part of the season, thus showing their form was no fluke.

The double diffuser is often credited as a key part of their success. However, two other teams – Williams and Toyota – also had the concept but weren’t that successful. Brawn’s success came down also to their outwash wings as well as working to develop the suspension. And they won both titles at the end of the year.

McLaren (1998)

Come 1998, the new F1 regulation changes made the cars narrower and also introduced grooved tires. This was done to reduce downforce and make cars at least a little slower. However, thanks in no small part to the presence of design genius Adrian Newey, McLaren produced a winner of a car.

Newey worked around the regulations to ensure the car retained something of a v-shape chassis, despite regulations looking to make it more square. He also worked to lengthen the wheelbase, and there’s the small matter of the brake steer system.

Powered by Mercedes works engines, the MP4/13 was a rocket. Little wonder then that they won the world and constructor’s title courtesy of Mika Hakkinen, even though Ferrari and Michael Schumacher gave them a good fight.

Brabham (1983)

1983 was, somewhat ironically in hindsight, the season where ground effect cars were outlawed. This is because the cars were producing so much downforce that safety was, in many ways, compromised. The late change to the regulations not only changed the aerodynamics, but also the looks of the car.

Brabham’s design genius Gordon Murray was the one who hit on a winning design before anyone else. The Brabham BT52 was a compact car that was shaped like an arrow, with weight shifted backwards. It also featured a turbocharged BMW engine, although that didn’t show its full potential until later in the season.

Nevertheless, the team dominated the latter stages of the season. And, with Nelson Piquet at the helm, the car became the first car with a turbo engine to win a world championship, although they narrowly lost the constructor’s championship to Ferrari.

Ferrari (1961)

Nicknamed the ‘Sharknose’ due to the front having two nostril-shaped air intakes in front of the car, the Ferrari of 1961 led to a resurgence for the Maranello-based team. They had lagged behind the British teams in the past years but were better prepared come 1961 for the new regulations.

This included cutting normally aspirated engine capacity from a maximum of 2.5 litres to 1.5 litres, as well as shedding the weight of the cars. The British teams tried to get the rules changed but to no avail. By contrast, Ferrari prepared ahead of time and thus had the best car on the grid.

Ferrari contested 7 world championship races that year, and they won 5 of them. Their powerful engine and improved chassis meant few could catch them on their day. Phil Hill would take the title, but only after teammate Wolfgang von Trips passed away at Ferrari’s home race in Monza.