(Motorsport-Total.com) – The new Formula 1 regulations continue to cause discussion before the season opener in Australia: the required energy management and low cornering speeds are not exactly a joy, but Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies is convinced that the drivers will still make the difference.
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The best and cleverest driver should also be ahead this year (Ad: All Formula 1 races live on Sky), the Frenchman believes. “More than before, and for two reasons,” says Mekies in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com Italy, a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network.
“Firstly: The cars are slower in the corners and faster on the straights,” the Red Bull team principal recalls. “This means that a driver spends more time in the corners over the course of a lap, and that is exactly where the decisive difference lies.”
“Put simply: The time limited by grip is longer than last year, and driving talent has more time to unfold.” With this, Mekies contradicts Fernando Alonso’s claim that the new cars, due to their low cornering speeds, could even be driven by the team cook.
“Driver can make an even bigger difference”
“Secondly: The cars and energy management are more complex,” the Frenchman adds. “This allows the driver in the cockpit to make an even bigger difference than last year. It will be much work needed to exploit the maximum potential.”
Nevertheless, the team principal admits that the requirements for drivers have changed due to the new regulations. “It is not guaranteed that the same qualities that used to distinguish a driver will still be decisive today,” says Mekies.
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However, the Frenchman holds back on criticism of the new Formula 1 era. “As a motorsport enthusiast, I am excited about the technical development we will experience on the track, both in the power units and the chassis.”
Development “three to four times as large” as in the previous year
“We are on the eve of one of the most intense development cycles of all time, and that is exactly what fascinates me the most,” says Mekies, who, as a long-standing and experienced Formula 1 engineer, is also perfectly familiar with the technology of the new cars.
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“At the moment there are some critical problems, especially with charging the power units, but history teaches us that Formula 1 teams have an incredible ability to tackle and solve problems. That is one of the most fascinating aspects of this sport.”
Therefore, Formula 1 will still develop strongly over the course of this season, although the engineer holds back on predictions. “It’s hard to quantify, but I believe the development from the first to the last race of the season will be three to four times as large as last year.”
For this reason, Mekies is currently refraining from condemning the new generation of vehicles. “We are at the beginning of this project, and I am confident that we can overcome the technological hurdles that seem so difficult to master today.”
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