Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton called on the FIA to approve a new rule that will govern the timing of the car’s development start for next season. According to the Mercedes driver, this innovation will prevent situations where one of the teams gains a huge advantage and starts to dominate, so that preparations for the new season begin before half-time.
Lewis Hamilton «The development of our car is in the right direction. I think it is likely that we will overtake Red Bull by the end of the year, but most likely it will happen because they have already focused on the car for next season now that they have such an advantage.
Red Bull don’t have to do anything with their car anymore, they are way ahead of the rest – Max alone is more than a hundred points ahead of our team.
I think the FIA should set a date after which it can start developing the car for next season. For example, August 1, when everyone can start. In this case, next season no one will get an advantage that is actually not good.
Such a rule would make sense. The FIA should implement it. Let’s say if someone else realizes at the beginning of the season that he has a bad car, he will not develop it and will put all the money into developing a car for the next season, and because of that he will have an advantage .
At Mercedes we have never started developing a car as early as at Red Bull. That’s why I say we need change. Otherwise, dominance can be delayed, and the FIA allows it.
We have already seen examples from the past when Ferrari dominated or when Red Bull dominated with Sebastian Vettel – all those years before their rivals started working on a new car.
I don’t think the financial penalty has had any effect on Red Bull this season. It’s so insignificant that it didn’t cost them anything.”
Max Verstappen’s comments on Lewis’s proposal to change the regulations to end Red Bull Racing’s dominance quickly followed: “Life is not only unfair in Formula 1. A lot of life is unfair, so you have to come to terms with that.”
Speaking of his own prospects for this season, Lewis noted that he is ready to give up some race wins to fight for the title in 2024: “Of course I will try to win the race, but I have no idea where or when this will be possible. Depends on the development of the machine, but I hope one day we will be close to victory. However, I cannot predict what Aston Martin, Ferrari and Red Bull will do.
I hope we will win the race this year, but I hope even more that we will not strive for this at all costs. I’m ready to give up this year’s win so I can fight for the title next year.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
