Albers: ‘Balance of performance goes against core value of the sport'

Speaking to Erik van Haren in the Dutch Telegraaf Formula 1 podcast, Albers explained how he has a problem with a possible performance safety net, because for him it goes against a core value of the sport. "Formula 1 is a sport where the maximum must be chased. There are more and more regulations and there is more and more pressure on the sport," said Albers. 

The Dutchman continued: "Formula 1 is about tuning everything to the limit, trying to get the best engine, the best chassis, the best downforce packages. There is more and more pressure against that now. ... But that's the sport, that's the beauty of it; the fight between the teams."

Albers, therefore, wants nothing to do with the argument that the differences between team budgets would be a good justification for the performance safety net.

"Of course budget always plays a role. And you can say: 'Yes, Mercedes has more budget, and so does Ferrari'. But that's the same with football, with any sport in the world."

Crazy times

Nevertheless, the former driver knows that the times we live in sometimes call for flexibility. He would therefore accept a performance safety net for the duration of the engine freeze, he explained: "On the other hand, I would say: 'Okay, I would agree with a Balance of Performance for two or three years, now with the crazy times we live in.' But after that it has to stop, because Formula 1 has always been about pushing everything to the limit.”