Formula 1 Could Bring Active Suspension Back To Cut Cost

In a bid to cut cost Formula 1 could reintroduced active suspension technology that was banned after the 1994 season, reports the Telegraph.

FIA had pushed for a development cost cap on each team since it felt poorer teams would die out as they cannot hold their own against affluent teams. After the FIA failed to get the F1 Strategy Group to agree with its idea to introduce cost cap, it, along with the teams have come with several new draft proposals to reduce the operating cost of F1 racing.

Among several proposals, which include reducing the number of gearboxes per season and further simplifying the front wing design, one significant one is the plan to lift the ban on active suspension. The idea is that active suspension would make it easy and less expensive for teams to change suspension settings before each race. This would also reduce the number of support staff required to be present during a race.

Active suspensions are computer controlled and allow the cars to go around a corner much faster as it automatically and constantly maintains the ride height at all times, thus maintaining optimal downforce throughout a race.

Two decades ago McLaren perfected this technology, giving them a huge advantage over the rest of the grid, which ultimately let them dominate the 1992 & 1993 seasons. This also prompted the FIA to ban the technology ahead of the 2014 season.

If reintroduced, active suspension will be standardized by FIA to take away any advantage individual teams might have. A major change such as this, if brought in, would arrive in 2017.

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