07/04/2023
NEWS STORY
Lewis Hamilton believes the much vaunted rules overhaul introduced last season hasn't delivered.
While the FIA's decision to amend the rules in light of the bouncing that affected a number of teams last season following the massive rules overhaul, some now believe the sport's governing body went the wrong way, especially in terms of raising the floors.
While at the start of 2022 much was made of the new simplicity of the cars under the new rules we now see the technical directors introducing all manner of 'additions' in the form of wings and slots, exactly the sort of expensive, fanciful architecture the sport was seeking to move away from.
As a result, while overtaking clearly improved last season, we are now seeing a return to the situation whereby drivers are able to close in on a rival but then have to back off as a result of the loss of grip .
In some quarters it is felt that further rule changes need to be introduced to aid overtaking though this could only be done on safety grounds, and with the bouncing seemingly a thing of the past this rules out that particular little loophole.
As a result, the boffins at F1 Towers are seeking other ways including increasing the number of zones, as was the case in Melbourne where there were four, and extending them.
Seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton agrees that the overhaul hasn't delivered.
Asked about dirty air this season and whether the new rules have changed things, his response was: "Nope, it's the same as the past.
"Last year for us was pretty bad with the bouncing," he continued, according to Motorsport Week, "because you've got the turbulence and the bouncing, whereas this year we don't have the bouncing, so we have less issues following cars.
"I think it's still a little bit better than the previous generation of cars," he admitted. "But hasn't delivered everything that it said it would, so got some improvements to make hopefully for the future.”
Ross Brawn, the driving force behind the rules overhaul had said the changes would allow midfield teams to challenge for podiums, even wins, and while Aston Martin is currently taking the sport by storm, the overhaul hasn't exactly turned the sport on its head.
As a result we still find ourselves relying on the artificiality of DRS, a field in which, judging by this year's results so far, Red Bull is in a league of its own.
Indeed, as George Russell increasingly becomes the mouthpiece for his Mercedes bosses, one wonders if the Briton's suggestion that the Austrian team is "holding back" in case "the sport is going to try and hold them back somehow", is a hint that plans to stymie Adrian Newey's masterpiece are already afoot.