Why The 2022 Formula One Cars Are Using A 40-Year-Old Aerodynamic Concept

After a few years of delays due to the global pandemic, the eagerly anticipated—and, to some, controversial—new regulations around Formula One car design and specifications have finally come to the forefront. As many racing fans know, F1 cars are at the very bleeding edge of what you can do with aerodynamics, hybrid engines, high-performance tires, and the like.

It was only in 2009 that the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, or KERS, was introduced into F1, and just a few short years later, the Holy Trinity of Hypercars, namely the Ferrari LaFerrari, the McLaren P1, and the Porsche 918 Spyder were all released. In the Ferrari and McLaren, KERS was introduced to use the electric motors to assist with braking (known as regenerative braking), and that technology has even trickled down into the latest generation of hybrids and fully electric commuter cars.