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F1 could be about to hit reverse on its move to speed up the cars for 2017. According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, April 30 is the date on which the sport is tipped to approve technical changes including the widening of the cars for next season.
However, there is now some doubt that F1 is making the right move, particularly after the performance seen by the current generation of 'power unit' cars in Australia. Lewis Hamilton's pole lap was just three tenths off Sebastian Vettel's qualifying record of 2011, set in his V8-screaming Red Bull.
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And both times are faster than Michael Schumacher managed in 2004, during the so-called 'glory years' of cornering speed and V10 power. World champion Hamilton insisted on Tuesday that simply speeding up F1 is not the way to improve the sport.
"Personally, I think we need more mechanical grip and less aero wake coming off the back of the cars so we can get close and overtake," he said. "Give us five seconds worth of laptime from aero and nothing will change -- we'll just be driving faster. I don't have all the answers, but I know that the changes we're making won't deliver better racing," the Mercedes driver added.
Auto Motor und Sport said Hamilton's views are backed not only by his technical boss Paddy Lowe, but also Williams' Pat Symonds and Andy Green of Force India. One of them warned: "If we commit ourselves to wider cars, there is no turning back like with the qualifying format." (GMM)
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Replies (3)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Depending on how its done, faster lap times could lead to better racing. Im not sure if mechanical grip is the answer to all the problems though, but it looks good on paper. One thing I think is clear is that they need to abandon Pirelli's current tyre philosophy, because the tyres are so fragile that the drivers can hardly race one another with them, and the whole point of this philosophy was improved racing.
Vet5
Posts: 225
I agree for the cars to be faster with more Aero! But take away DRS and let the drivers overtake by using skill more than 'help', more races like the late 90's would be well worth paying to watch. Get rid of the hybrid 1.6 V6 engines, they have tried to create more noise and have proved it can't be done, I want to listen to the beautiful notes of a V8 or dare I say it....V10's!! Also disregard the fuel flow limit!
khasmir
Posts: 893
I have to agree with Hamilton on this one. Less aero and more mechanical grip, meaning better and wider tyres.