Why have F1 cars grown so big?

[John S]

Rob Smedley sets out answers in an article for Motorsport magazine, link below.

He also looks at the post 2022 landscape and the thorny question of re-fuelling, will it reduce car size? There's a nice look back at F1 car shape and size over the decades too.

Could modern jumbo size F1 cars explain why less used historic tracks like Imola look so much narrower than we remember?


https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/why-formula-1-cars-have-grown-so-big

[Willy]

Driver safety has to be of paramount importance whether it is car or track design.
Hence the disuse of the old Green Hell and the Imola Banking.
The driver cell needs to contain the whole of the man including the legs and feet.
Case in point when it doesn't, Alex Zanardi 2001.
Fans expect new innovations and teams pushing the envelope in terms of regulations and always look forward to seeing the new crop of cars for next season and what may have changed.
Most of the time it has been an increase of width or length to fit all that is required to operate at the top of their game.
Usually, we see tail wings shrink or expand to reduce or increase downforce and the amount of ground effect skirting around the cars is amazing if you have ever seen one up close.
I stook beside Schumacher's F2000 a few years ago and was amazed at the width and amount of skirting around the car that you do not see on TV as it is usually black carbon fibre and not very visable.