Four-time champion Alain Prost believes the new regulations for 2014 will favour drivers like fellow four-time champion Sebastian Vettel over a driver like Lewis Hamilton.
The Frenchman, who is an ambassador to Renault and is therefore well placed to comment on the new engines and Vettel’s style of driving, believes the changes will benefit a smart racer over a pure racer like the Mercedes driver.
“The way Sebastian works with people in the team, we know that he is doing little things different to the rest,” he said, adding: “That gives him an advantage and makes him more confident [in the car].
“On the other side, there is a guy like Lewis, who is more of a pure racing driver. I consider Lewis as one of the quickest drivers – maybe one of the best – but is he using his full potential? Maybe not.”
Prost says Hamilton may need to change the way he approaches the season if he’s to challenge Vettel who he says will relish next season’s changes.
“Maybe next year he will find another motivation, but at the moment he is finding it very hard to beat Sebastian, and I think he should change [his approach] a little bit.
“Before, you had the car in your hands, it was a raw package,” he explained. “But now it is a package that will suit someone like Sebastian. Now you are not driving by yourself. You are going to have all this computerised equipment behind you and you might get a different reaction.
“Maybe when we meet in March, maybe we will say something different but, at the moment, I have to say that the new regulations will suit Vettel and not Hamilton….”
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