But F1 sporting boss wants more competition & fan-friendly engines
Friday 9 June 2017 18:49, UK
Ross Brawn insists Formula 1's new bosses will not be "dumbing down" the sport as they strive to make it cheaper and more competitive.
F1's financial and prize-giving model is being scrutinised by the sport's new owners as they look to make changes for the medium to long term which reduce costs and make it easier for more teams to fight at the front.
But Brawn, F1's new sporting chief, has stressed that change will not come at the expense of the formula's identity.
"We don't want to dumb Formula 1 down," Brawn said at the Canadian GP.
"Formula 1 still has to be aspirational for the teams. We don't want all the teams to be exactly the same, there should still be the aspirational teams.
"There should still be the Ferraris, there should still be the Mercedes, the Red Bulls that teams want to aspire to beat.
"But we don't want domination. We need an environment where a team that has done a really good job can do well. We don't want a situation where financial power enables a team to get a dominant position, as has happened in the last few years."
Ferrari v Mercedes not enough
Former team boss Brawn was speaking at a press conference alongside the two other men now charged with shaping F1's future, chairman Chase Carey and commercial chief Sean Bratches.
Liberty Media's takeover of the sport earlier this year has coincided with the re-emergence of a two-team fight at the front of the field with Ferrari currently posing a fierce challenge to Mercedes, dominant winners of three consecutive title doubles.
Brawn has welcomed the competition between two of his old teams but says it would be remiss of the sport's management not to build on that to increase the number of competitive teams.
"We've been very fortunate this year in that we've had two teams battling it out so strongly at the front," he said.
"I wouldn't like to take any credit for that, it's just been good timing. I think with a real recognition that there has to be some work done to consolidate that for the future.
"There's a slightly worrying gap between the front and the middle of the field that we need to pay attention to."
The former technical director also said F1's new owners had started a "racing programme" together with the FIA, the sport's governing body, to "see what we can do in the future to make them more raceable" after criticism the 2017 rules overhaul had made overtaking even harder.
Engine format a 'key element'
Costs in F1 have spiralled in recent years after the introduction of complex hybrid engines in 2014, with smaller customer teams hit hardest by the inevitable increase in fees.
F1's powerbrokers agreed last year to keep the current power unit format in place until 2020 but Brawn says what happens after that is a critical aspect of the sport's blueprint for the next decade.
"The engine is a key element we have to get right along with the FIA, the teams and the interested engine suppliers," he said.
"We're debating that at the moment to understand what sort of engine we want for the future. Formula 1 is a little bit at a crossroads. The automotive world is going off in a different direction and that's not Formula 1. How do we find a relevant path for the future? We need a path that engages the fans.
"There is a very careful balance between the technical challenge which we must maintain in Formula 1, because that's a really important element, but not overdoing it to the extent it becomes a distraction to the racing.
"The attitude from the teams is very positive and with the FIA we are working very hard to find good solutions for the future."
Can Mercedes hit back in the 2017 title fight with Ferrari? Don't miss the Canadian GP live only on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. The race starts at 7pm on Sunday. Watch the race for £6.99 on NOW TV
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