Why Adrian Newey was initially depressed by F1 2022 rules

The 2022 regulations cycle put much more emphasis on exploiting the ground effect to reduce how much cars were affected by turbulent air from the cars in front, in a bid to improve the racing.

Initially, the regulation changes were met with weariness by some designers and observers, fearing the much more limiting and prescriptive ruleset would have F1 inch closer to an IndyCar-like spec chassis with similar-looking cars.

While those fears proved…