Niki Lauda is behind plans to make future Formula 1 cars harder to drive with more aggressive styling and much more powerful engines.
Whilst Mercedes is currently dominant with its hyrbid-V6, Lauda supports proposals put forward by Bernie Ecclestone and the F1 Strategy Group to tweak the engines so that they produce over 1,000hp, even if the move could cut Mercedes lead over its rivals.
The Austrian champion reckons the cars have become too easy to drive and says a return to his era would make the sport “faster and more difficult”.
“Right now, the cars allow any F3 or GP2 driver to be fast right away, without having to take a lot of risk,” he said. “You can drive these F1 cars almost like a street car.
“I want a car for the future that has 1,200hp, wide tyres – F1 needs to be faster and more difficult, as it once was.”
Lauda also understands newcomer Honda’s frustrations surrounding in-season engine development which led to a recent change in the regulations, allowing all four to make limited changes.
“The newcomers Honda also want the same position as the others,” he added, “which I understand for reasons of fairness.”
