Slipstreaming in Formula One: An Aerodynamic and Engineering Analysis

In Formula One, slipstreaming is the reduction in drag a car feels when it follows another car through its wake. This paper explains the effect through fluid dynamics, covering the drag equation, flow separation and wake formation, and shows why a following car loses downforce faster than it loses drag. It then examines how the 2022 regulations were designed to reduce this penalty. A Python model using FastF1 telemetry from 16 races in 2021 and 2022 found that following cars lost less cornering speed in 2022 (median apex speed loss 4.9% against 7.1%), while the change in the straight-line slipstream benefit was not statistically reliable. The results also help explain why the car with the most powerful engine does not always win. This is a self-published preprint and has not been peer reviewed.