Mercedes brand mid-season rule tweaks ‘absurd’
The idea of tweaking the regulations after just two races is “absurd” according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff who says their rivals simply haven’t done a good enough job. Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo will meet with Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt this weekend to air concerns that the new Formula 1 isn’t as exciting as expected. They’re expected to discuss changes which could include shorter races and lifting the maximum fuel flow limit of 100kg/h. Wolff says it simply makes no sense and believes the changes are motivated not by excitement, but to change the competitive order after Mercedes dominated both the Australian and Malaysian grands prix. “The interesting bit is that some engine manufacturers or teams are saying we have not managed to make the car efficient and fast with 100kg [of fuel], so what we are trying to do is let’s add 10kg,” he explained. “Well, sorry they didn’t do their job in the way we have done. I find this whole discussion absurd.” The Austrian says it’s wrong for F1 chiefs to criticise the sport as a whole after Di Montezemolo branded it “boring” and like “taxi-cab racing”. Instead they should identify specific areas which need changing. “If this is the agenda then we should not talk the sport down as a total,” he said. “We should say, hold on a minute. Mercedes has done a better job. “We just have to understand what the fans don’t like,” he added. “If it is the noise then we have to address the noise. “Is it that races have become boring by a team or car dominating? Maybe we have had that phenomenon in the last 20 years. “Was it boring that Sebastian [Vettel] won the last nine races? For sure it is more boring if you have somebody who is dominant - and I see that as a fan as well.”
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