Finlay McSporran
Published: 17:27 22nd December 2025

When Lando Norris crossed the finish line in Abu Dhabi, it brought to an end the current set of F1 technical regulations.

Known as the ‘Ground effect’ era, it began in 2022 with major changes to the underfloor of the cars which aimed to produce better and safer racing.

In that time we’ve seen some memorable moments, with Max Verstappen dominating the early years, as everyone else scrambled to try and keep up, and McLaren eventually rising to the top and giving Lando Norris his first Formula 1 drivers title.

In this article we look at five of the best moments from F1’s ground effect era (2022 – 2025).

Ferrari’s dream start

The very first race of the ground effect era had everything.

Rookie driver Zhou Guanyu finished 10th securing points on debut, and becoming the first Chinese driver to do so. Kevin Magnussen finished fifth for Haas after the team failed to score at all the year before, and having only been announced as their driver less than two weeks before the event!

But all the headlines were about the prancing horse, who had just secured their first 1-2 in a grand prix since 2019. It came through Charles Leclerc, who had a terrific battle with Redbull’s Max Verstappen all race, as we looked set for a season long title fight between the two.

However, the sight of Verstappens Redbull trundling back to the pits with a technical issue soon crushed any hopes he had of winning the opening race. The sole remaining Redbull car of Sergio Perez met the same fate a few laps later, as his car shut down too, leaving the Ferrari pair unchallenged as they cruised home to a memorable 1-2.

It looked for all the world that this was the beginning of Ferrari’s resurgence in F1, when they would finally win their first title since 2008.

Oh how wrong that turned out to be…

Alonso’s Podium Streak

Fast forward one year and Redbull were already the dominant force in F1. Neither Ferrari or any other team for that matter could get near them. But, for a while, there was one man who came close.

42-year-old Fernando Alonso, had just joined midfielders Aston Martin from similarly mediocre Alpine. The Spaniard isn’t exactly famous for making good career decisions, having joined McLaren in 2007 just as a young Lewis Hamilton established himself at the team, then joining McLaren again in 2015 right at the beginning of their woeful Honda years.

But this move was different. Alonso hit the ground running with a charging drive through the field to secure third in the opening race in Bahrain behind the two Redbulls.

More podiums, would follow in Jeddah, Melbourne, and Miami, but they were all P3’s. Round seven in Monaco was the peak of his season. In qualifying he battled Verstappen for pole position, losing out narrowly thanks to some magical driving from the Dutchman.

In the race he kept Max on his toes, however when it came time to pit for new tyres they made the wrong call. Alonso had to settle for second in the end.

A few more podiums would follow in Canada, Holland and Brazil, but that strategy call in Monaco will be one that haunts him still to this day, denying him what could have been his first F1 win since 2013.

Leclerc Breaks His Home Race Curse

Speaking of winning in Monaco…

Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc had grown up watching Grand Prix cars race around the streets of his home town.

It was only a matter of time until he became one of them, such was the talent he has. Leclerc has won races at tracks all over the world in his time racing in F1 and the junior series before that. But somewhere he’d never won was his home race in Monaco.

In fact, he’d never even stood on the podium there, being denied many times over the years by factors with and without his control. For example, during his first professional race at the track in 2017 in Formula 2, he suffered suspension damage on lap 1 after starting from pole which forced him to retire. In 2021, he never even made it to the grid after putting it on pole the day before, as his engine cut out on the way to the grid.

In 2024 however, after seven years of disappointment at his home track, things were finally about to change for the young Monegasque. After putting his car on pole (again), he led comfortably out in front, and although the racing itself wasn’t memorable, the result certainly was.

Leclerc had, done it, he had finally broken the curse and won his home race.

While the rest of the season didn’t go exactly to plan for Leclerc and Ferrari, that moment in Monaco was one to remember, and was one of many highlights from an incredible 2024 season.

Verstappen’s Impossible Vicotory

Another Incredible moment from that years season was Max Verstappens epic win in Brazil.

A lot of races in the ground effect era were admittedly a little boring, as Verstappen would often win by miles in a lights to flag victory, but this race was a bit more complicated than that.

The Dutchman started the race from 17th position, after an inconveniently timed red flag interrupted his qualifying lap, making victory, or even a podium unlikely. Furthermore, ahead of him were the two McLarens who finished 1-2 in the sprint the day before and looked to have the quicker car.

However, Verstappen, as ever, looked quick in his Redbull, quietly going about his business, and was up to second place when the heavy rain arrived on lap 30. That was helped, in fairness, by the leaders pitting for full wet tyres, which left Verstappen in second, and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon first and third.

Those three needed to pit as well, and would have certainly lost their lead if it weren’t for Franco Colapinto crashing and brining out the red flags. That allowed them to change tyres and maintain the lead over everyone else.

On lap 43 Verstappen passed Ocon for the lead, and was in a league of his own from then on, winning by 19 seconds after starting 17th. And he wasn’t even in the fastest car!

As for Alpine, second and third in the race saw them leapfrog Haas and RB to finish a more respectable sixth in the standings, securing them almost $20million dollars in prize money.

Hulkenberg Gets His Moment

Alpine’s double podium in Brazil wasn’t the only surprise midfield podium.

Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg had something of a curse of his own. Unlike Leclerc however, who at least had plenty of podiums elsewhere, Hulkenberg didn’t have a single podium to his name.

239 race starts without a podium gave him the unwanted record of being F1’s most experienced driver not to finish in the top three. But that was all abut to change.

It didn’t look like it however, starting 19th for a wet/dry race at Silverstone earlier this year, and driving for the team which finished last in the previous years championship.

But Hulkenberg and his Sauber pit wall played their cards right, choosing to box for the right tyre, at the right time. It was a race where Hulkenberg showed his experience, keeping the car on the track when many other cars found the wall.

He spent the last 10 laps of the race under huge pressure from Lewis Hamilton, who was driving a Ferrari remember. But Hulkenberg held on, crossing the line in third to take his first piece of silverware since he won at Le Man in 2015, and his first in a single-seater since he was a GP2 (Formula 2) driver in 2009!

It makes him the driver with the longest wait by far for a maiden podium at 239 races, with Carlos Sainz, who had to wait 101 races, second on the list.

What Next?

F1’s next rule set gets underway on the 8th March next year for the Australian Grand Prix, with testing beginning in January.

They’re expected to last five years until 2030, but there has already been talk of ending them sooner for a push towards a possible V10 engine return. That’s unlikely to happen at this moment however, as all 11 teams would need to agree. Speaking of which…

For the first time since 2016, 11 teams will compete in the Formula 1 World Championship, as Cadillac joins the grid. The American manufacturer brings two more cars to the grid which should hopefully result in better racing, and more drivers getting the chance to compete at the top level of motorsport.

These new regulations aim to make racing closer by having smaller, lighter cars. Whether that actually translates on track we will need to wait and see, but we don’t have long.

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Formula 1