F1 embarrassment in Japan: cars stall and go from 330 to 270 km/h on a straight.

The opening of the weekend on the circuit of Suzuka has forcefully brought to the surface the embarrassment that this new technical course is inflicting on the Formula 1. If after the stage in China it seemed that the criticisms could partially subside, rewarding those who accepted this technological disaster, the response from the Japanese track has re-established a bitter reality, repeating what was already observed in Australia. The cars, having reached the end of the long, very fast section that follows the 130R and precedes the final chicane, the one that, to be clear, was the scene of the epic clash between Senna and Prost in 1989, they experience an unnatural slowdown. They literally plant themselves, collapsing from the tips of 330 km/h to about 270 km/h despite the drivers keeping their foot flat on the accelerator.

The person responsible for this dynamic agony is the now sadly known Super Clipping: when the electric component runs out of power, the 540 hp internal combustion engine alone is unable to sustain progression or even maintain top speed. The result is a power cut that turns straightaways into a technological ordeal. When the following car has better managed its energy resources, the overtaking maneuver occurs with such a marked speed differential that it seems artificial, outweighing even the worst DRS. We are no longer witnessing a talented overtaking maneuver or braking at the limit, but simply the act of passing an almost immobile obstacle in the middle of the track.

Formula 1 underestimated Suzuka

On the eve of the race, it was speculated that Suzuka could prove to be less energy-intensive for these complex and cumbersome power units, but the facts have categorically denied any optimistic forecasts. In the sector that winds from the Spoon Curve to the Triangolo Chicane, the situation is embarrassingThe legendary 130R is no longer driven at full speed, and already at that point the first drastic drop in speed is felt, reaching its peak well before the usual braking point of the final S. Even in the section preceding the Cucchiaio curve, where historically one should push to the maximum, the cars proceed in fits and starts. Even the “Snake”, the initial S sequence that represents the very essence of pure driving, is now castrated: the drivers are forced to manage their battery and energy in order to hope to have a minimum push towards the end of the lap, distorting the physiognomy of one of the most beautiful tracks in the world.

The absurdity reaches its peak during qualifying attempts. To even manage to complete a halfway decent timed lap, The drivers are forced to partially throttle almost to the finish line on the launch lap, saving every single joule for the time attackThe FIA ​​and Formula 1 management, perhaps overly galvanized by China's illusory results, have chosen to stall, limiting themselves to marginal changes that don't address the core of the problem. The hope is that this month-long forced break will prompt deep reflection from those who have produced a technical regulation that's so damning. In this cauldron of responsibilities we also include the teams, guilty of having accepted too superficially a technology that the global market is already indicating as obsolete for the future.

How can we restore credibility to Formula 1?

The Federation still has several areas for intervention on its agenda that aim, at least on paper, to restore a modicum of naturalness to the performance of the single-seaters. A regulation of energy distribution levels is being considered, adjusting the hybrid system's energy storage capacity to avoid total blackouts at the end of the straight. Among the most widely discussed options are increasing the power allocated to charging to make recovery phases less impactful on lap times, and revising the maximum power output, necessary to mitigate those speed variations that make overtaking similar to highway maneuvers.

No less important would be a partial reshaping of the internal combustion engine's (ICE) contribution. The stated goal should be to counteract excessive reliance on the battery, preventing drivers from becoming taxi drivers, more concerned with fuel consumption than the ideal racing line. This trend was evident in qualifying in Melbourne, where, instead of extracting the maximum potential from the car, conservative management was observed when pure speed should reign supreme. If the FIA ​​and Formula 1 finally decide to intervene, they will effectively have to admit the conceptual failure of this regulation.

The drivers, for their part, have been expressing dissent for years, having pointed out the embarrassing results obtained in the initial simulations. Despite the data showing numerous overtaking moves and prolonged duels, such as those between Leclerc and Russell, one must ask how exciting all this really is for motorsport enthusiasts. The answer, unfortunately, tends to be zero. A duel based on the management of a software does not have the same dignity as a battle won with foot and heartWe hope that the drivers will continue to make their voices heard decisively, as they did in Australia, and that champions like Lewis Hamilton will have the courage to deny the superficial statements made after Shanghai. Motorsport needs to return to being a competition between drivers and machines, not a parade of obstacles remotely controlled by energy savings.