24/11/2016
NEWS STORY
Though he is unlikely to benefit from them, Jenson Button believes the new regulations for 2017 will be good for the sport and its fans.
While the new regulations don't go far enough in the eyes of many, still putting the focus on aero grip as opposed to mechanical, the 2017 changes, which include wider tyres, are expected to lead to lap times as much as five seconds quicker.
However, McLaren's Jenson Button, who bows out this weekend after 305 Grands Prix, doesn't believe it is the improved lap times and aggressive looks that will boost the sport, rather the subsequent development which could see the current order given a much-needed shake up.
"The big changes next year are positive," said the Briton, according to Autosport. "You'll see big progress through the year, which is what people like seeing.
"Back in the day you could start with a car that wasn't so competitive and you could develop it through the year like what McLaren did in 2009," he continued. "Now you can't do that. You start with a car that's quick and win races through the year or you start with a car that isn't quick and it's not quick at the end of the year."
Indeed, since the introduction of the new formula in 2014, Mercedes has won 50 of the 58 races, many of them 1-2s.
"That is one thing that's missing," he concluded, "the development through the year. And that'll be big next year with development through a season that'll make racing a lot more fun.
"Gone are the days of putting on a second of downforce in one race and suddenly finding yourself in a winning position."
Check out our Thursday gallery from Abu Dhabi, here.