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Button: "Change rules to bring field closer together"

Published on 15 Apr 2016 11:57
6
By: Rob Veenstra

Jenson Button says he is opposed to ideas to improve F1 by shaking up the order of the grid. The sport has dropped its new 'musical chairs' qualifying format following fierce criticism, but bosses will now put their minds to a potential new shakeup for 2017.

Bernie Ecclestone's new preferred option is a qualifying 'race' on Saturday. But Button, a F1 veteran, said ideas that are designed to artificially put faster cars behind their slower rivals on the grid are fundamentally wrong for the sport.

"F1 has never been that, and it should never be," the Briton said in China. "There are other things we can do to make the sport better. It would be like going to Wimbledon and the guy who was eliminated in the first round is in the semi-final," McLaren-Honda driver and 2009 world champion Button added.

Sebastian Vettel agrees, with Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper quoting him as saying F1 should be "simple, raw and wild". Button says F1's problem is not qualifying. "The problem is that Mercedes and Ferrari are too far ahead of the other teams."

"I recently watched a qualifying session from 2003 and the first fifteen were within one second. For the fans it is difficult to understand as the cars all look so similar, but there are big differences now in the laptimes. So to bring the field closer together, we might have to think about changing the rules -- even if Mercedes and Ferrari don't like it," he added. (GMM)

F1 News Jenson Button Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Mercedes McLaren Honda

Replies (6)

mclarenfan1968

Posts: 1,027
Yes rules that MAKE the bunch close up is what we need NOT changes to qualifying format or race format or any format of the events on how they are held. That cancerous old fart Bernie only thinks about money money money 24/7. That's why that old fox is angling for format changes, not one peep from him about rules changes to bunch everyone up. Of course not, that would upset pop divas Merc and favored sons Ferrari too much.
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- Apr 15 2016 - 12:18
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
Just an idea, but why not introduce a different penalty system? Since we already have a token system in place, why not make it so that the more successful suppliers get less tokens to spend compared to other teams? That'd would give Renault and Honda an honest shot at catching up.
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- Apr 15 2016 - 13:03
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  Engines are not the only issue here, aero rules also need a huge overhaul. The effect of car wake is just too much to encourage close racing. There should be no stinking boost button to get by a car infront, it should be on pure skill and wit. The only thing needed is that the drivers should not be hindered aero wise to follow a car closely.
  
  These things are a pipe dream because the various interest groups will never agree on anything that is for the good of the sport, whenever they agree to something it is because some of them have agreed to protect some their strengths at the expense of others.
  + 0
  
  Apr 15 2016 - 15:08
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I agree, but the engines play an important role aswell, and I figured this could at least reduce the gap in that respect.
  + 0
  
  Apr 15 2016 - 17:25
khasmir

Posts: 893
It's not popular and an alien concept for F1 but introducing success ballast is a good way to bring the cars closer together.
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- Apr 15 2016 - 19:23
RacetoWin

Posts: 95
there needs to be a point system for the top 3 in qualifying so we see a true shootout.

3 points for pole, 2 for second and 1 for third.
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- Apr 15 2016 - 22:17