17/01/2016
NEWS STORY
Not for the first time, those involved in F1 find themselves unable to agree.
As teams focus on the opening pre-season test, which kicks off in Spain in just over a month, the powers-that-be are looking further ahead, to 2017, when a raft of rule changes are supposed to put the 'zing' back into F1.
Whilst there was talk of faster, more aggressive looking cars, not to mention a move to increase mechanical grip rather than aero, the usual suspects are procrastinating... meanwhile the clock is ticking.
"What we are left with is a car which is now two metres wide and it's got bigger tyres, 300mm front, 400mm rear," Symonds told fans in Birmingham. "I think it has quite an attractive look to it but the bodywork width which was going to be 1800mm has come back down to 1400mm, which is what it is now.
"It was going to have a very big diffuser," he continued, "but it has been made smaller and is basically the same as what we have now. In fact, the underbody of the car is very similar. We still have a bit more freedom around the front bargeboard area but it's a bit of a halfway house from the original proposal."
With a 1 March deadline, the Briton feels the sport, and fans, would be best served by delaying the rule changes until 2018 and allowing more time for discussion.
"The regulations want five seconds a lap quicker and there is some dispute as to whether it is the right thing anyway," he said. "I feel there may be some merit in thinking again and waiting until 2018.
"But I suspect I won't have much support from my fellow teams," he admitted. "I'm sure people will argue there will just be another year of debate without reaching a conclusion.
"There are some people who just want to get on and do things which is fair enough but I like to do things right rather than just do them.
"There is one technical meeting at the end of January and another one in February. I think, what will happen is we will polish the details with a view to having a set of 2017 regulations by 1 March. If we don't determine things by March, then changes need unanimous agreement and that is not something which comes easily in F1."