International. The new brake systems for the vehicles that will compete in the Formula 1 World Championship this 2022, were created by Brembo and would have their debut with the race of the weekend of March 18 to 20, at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Brembo Group has created the new custom brake systems for each team and will be the supplier of most of the cars, which will be equipped with hydraulic material and friction components. This taking into account the novelties in the formula 1 regulations, which highlights the mandatory presence of 'young' drivers, the elimination of the consumption limit in races and the repeal of the Q2 tyre rule.
In fact, during the study phase for the new systems, new geometries were designed, in order to achieve the best performance and adjust to the new limitations imposed by the FIA. In this sense, the new regulation allows the use of larger brake discs, due to the larger diameter of the tires.
However, on the front axle the outer diameter of the carbon discs went from 278 mm to a maximum of 328 mm, but the maximum thickness remained unchanged at 32 mm; while on the rear axle the diameter changes from 266 mm to 280 mm and the thickness increases from 28 to 32 mm. Due to the increase in this effective radius, Brembo has also had to revise, in addition to the architecture of the discs, the geometry of the tweezers and pads.
The architecture of the brake discs was modified. Until 2021 these had a maximum of 1,480 holes with a diameter of 2.5 mm and 1050 in the rear disc, for this year the discs will have holes of a minimum diameter of 3mm, which explains why now their number is reduced, becoming on average 1,100 in the front and 900 in the rear. As a result, its cooling capacity will be reduced. Moreover, the complete braking system of this 2022 season increased its weight by about 700 grams per wheel, which means a total increase in cars of around 3 kg.
Brembo Group Tweezers
This year is of utmost importance for the Italian manufacturer, as it will be in charge, for the first time, of supplying its calipers to the 10 teams: 9 will directly use its manufacture and the other the calipers of AP Racing, a company based in Coventry, of its property. So the 20 pilots will be supported by Brembo, with the new 6-piston calipers (maximum value established by the current standard), made of one-piece aluminum alloy and nickel-plated.
These calipers vary in their design and weight, as the desired weight/stiffness ratio is sought in each team. Rather, the calipers are combined with the specific characteristics and needs of each of the cars. In addition, the sensors located next to the wheel will allow the technical team to monitor the temperature of the discs and calipers at all times.
Other changes to the regulations
The most significant change of the regulation, compared to the design of the cars, is the flat bottom because it loses its step and now has two Venturi channels. The purpose of this is to recreate the ground effect and reduce turbulence in the slipstream, favoring overtaking, a relevant issue since now the "bent cars can overtake".
Undoubtedly, the aerodynamics used to generate load have been cut back compared to 2021. Put broadly, the deflectors behind the front wheels have been eliminated, the ailerons have been simplified and present a new aesthetic. On the other hand, the tires went from 13" to 18", this implies that they will be stiffer and will have shoulder reduction, which has generated a revision of the design of the suspensions. As an advantage, the new designs take into account the constraints of the budget or budget cap. On the other hand, other areas, such as the dynamic input, the engine hood, the aileron screens and the cooling intakes, remain customizable.
In conclusion, now the cars are heavier and this influences that it is highly possible that the drivers must start braking earlier.
