Formula 1 is all set to have a new set of regulations from the 2021 season as Liberty Media along with the F1 authorities are trying to arrive at a blueprint of a new set of rules that will benefit the sport in the long run.
The changes include bringing about new power unit regulations and bringing about a level playing field so as to attract more fans to the sport.
Ferrari have vehemently opposed the idea of these new regulations, and they have blamed the authorities of tinkering too much with the ‘DNA’ of the sport.
Introduction of ‘spending caps’ have also infuriated the Italian team as they have vowed to quit the sport if changes aren’t made to the existing blueprint.
Ross Brawn, Formula 1’s managing director of motorsport has been offended by Ferrari’s comments especially with regards to the ‘DNA’ of the sport.
“I find it personally offensive when people accuse me of dumbing down the sport because we know if we did that we’d spoil the sport at its core, and we’d spoil the commercial basis of the sport as well.
“The teams at the top are probably spending two or three times what they were spending five or six years ago, and yet you wouldn’t say five or six years ago that the sport was dumb. So it’s just a question of degree.
“We have to help the teams at the top recognise and realise that to have a sport for the future we’ve got to rebase the commercial revenues for the teams, we’ve got to rebase the amount of scope that the teams are allowed to explore technically in order to give a more exciting competition.” Brawn said.
Brawn too is frustrated by the ‘political agenda’ that still governs the sport, though he still believes that a middle ground could be reached within the next few months.
“There are always vested interests, and it’s not just a simple technical problem, we have the political problem of what is the governance going forward? In other words, what role do the teams play, what role do we play, what role do the FIA play? Governance is a sensitive topic. The commercial revenues to the team is a sensitive topic. Budget control, which is something we’re very enthusiastic about, is a sensitive topic.
“When you’ve got three or four areas that are being hotly debated, sometimes it colours or clouds other issues. So what would seem like a simple technical challenge or objective is sometimes clouded because the teams are sensitive to other areas and therefore don’t co-operate.
“But I think broadly speaking, the technical side which we’re discussing is well supported by all the teams. They recognise that if we’re talking about solutions for 2021, they’re not affected in the short term, they’re not disadvantaged in the short term and we should work towards better solutions for the future.” Brawn concluded.
