CAJ - Formula One - Experts' point of view

To make it clear how important or refreshing (how I like to call it) the new regulations are, I want to post some experts opinion and current standing of this season.

When the new regulations were announced last year, I wasn’t sure of how to feel about them. There were good points and also less beneficial aspects in my opinion. So, I started reading and observing what experts had to say and do!

Jean Todt, the so-called boss of Formula One (or to sound more professional) the President of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, was very calm and sympathetic from the beginning on. “Times are changing, and we must accept that,” he said at one his interviews. He gave us an impression that the new regulations are well-wrought and that there was no need to panic. But the second the new rules were announced, it was over for some teams:

·         huge changes linked with additional costs,

·         uncertainty if the car is going to work when it’s on track,

·         what if the ERS-system breaks (like it happened to Red Bull Racing several times last year)

and so on and so forth…

For Bernie Ecclestone, the so-called PR-Manager of F1, called the new engines a farce. This was seen as a humorously by many, as he is the one with the sharp-tongue in Formula 1 business. But he was not the only one thinking that way. Many teams and drivers agreed with him. "It is a very different way of driving and you have to forget a lot of what you have learnt in terms of driveability, the engine, the power output and the way you put the power down. It is so, so different." explained Jenson Button, British F1-champ, who was not satisfied by any changes made.

Now, after four races in this season, we can say that the cars are working – for some teams even perfectly. Red Bull Racing, the four-time-champion teams have lost their domination (thank god!) and passed it to Mercedes. This was a big surprise for many because to beat a “rich” team such an experienced staff is not everyone’s cup of tea. The reason why this happened is because Red Bull Racing had spent too less time for developing the engine and for many experts it is because they were just too confident.

Ferrari chairman, Luca di Montezemolo even suggested Todt to shorten each race by one lap to save fuel. This has been seen as a ridiculous suggestion and a cry for help for the grave situation that Ferrari is in right now. Even their team principal, Stefano Domenicali, had to resign last month because of poor results in the first races.