Faster cars, bigger tyres and drivers that are free from the shackles of the stewards handbook. 2017 should be great, right?
Plenty of concepts have been thrown into the 2017 regulation melting pot, as the teams have allied with the sport’s governing body in an attempt to improve The Show.
However, Max Mosley has become the latest in what is a growing list of skeptics regarding the new rule-book, with the former FIA President suggesting that the changes could be counter-intuitive.
“My personal view is that it may have gone in the wrong direction,” Mosley said during an ITV interview. “I would have gone for less aero and perhaps more mechanical grip.”
After three years of utter domination from Mercedes, few are in doubt that F1 could do with a competitive 2017. The regulations have been designed to make the racing more attractive and potentially knock Mercedes off-balance. After all, the same trick was pulled in 2005 to good effect in halting Ferrari’s period of invincibility.
However, Mosley’s idea for a better F1 makes far more sense than the solution that has been concocted. Overtaking in 2017 is going to be extremely hard. That is almost a guarantee.
Physically, the cars will be wider, therefore closing that ‘gap on the inside.’ Moreover, an inability to follow the car in front is a natural bi-product of increased downforce. Drivers will surely need to have an enormous pace advantage over the car ahead to even put themselves in play.
They are somewhat fortunate that the stewards are set to take a more relaxed assessment of the on-track shenanigans in 2017, as we could see a fair few lunges from drivers who have been locked in a Bernoldi-Coulthard-esque, race long procession.
Mosley has addressed the elephant in the room here. Several technical bosses have also alluded to these concerns before. Sure, if your going to be sitting at Becketts for the British Grand Prix, that downforce is going to look spectacular, but will it put bums on sofas back home?
Mosley’s skeptical, and so am I.
KGibbsF1 