Newey not a fan of "restrictive" 2021 rules: "Makes it a little bit GP1"
F1 News
- Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing chief designed and technical officer Adrian Newey had expressed his displeasure with the "restrictive and prescriptive" nature of the 2021 regulations, saying it will make Formula 1 "a little bit GP1" as more parts are to be standardised.
Newey is known for producing some of the best chassis in recent F1 history, although his respective teams have not always provided the best power units to compliment them. Red Bull's nack of thriving on downforce-heavy circuits is not a coincidence as Newey is on the team's payroll and has been for a long time now.
The 61-year-old is looking to sink his teeth into the new 2021 regulations, which are set to shake things up on the grid in quite a big way.
"In many ways I look forward to regulation change because it's an opportunity to try to understand new things," Newey told I.
"What I don't like is the general trend in successive regulations to become ever more restrictive."
The Brit likens it to previous big regulation changes, where the excitement came from its openness for interpretation, allowing different teams to rise and start winning as Red Bull did at the start of the last decade.
"What was very nice about the last major change back in 2009 was that it wasn't more restrictive. But these new ones for 2021 are very restrictive and prescriptive. And I think that is an awful shame. It makes it a little bit GP1 which is not what I think Formula 1 should be."
Liberty Media has made the new regulations, where bigger teams are capped in terms of their spending and where more parts will be standardised to reduce costs, to bring the grid closer together and reduce the predictability of the current landscape of F1.
"It's been pushed through regardless of what people think, so whether it's good for the sport or not, only time will tell."