Carlos Sainz has urged that a review on Formula 1‘s new regulations should take place, stating that it should “never have happened”.
Qualifying this year is slightly different to last, with the battery of the 50-50 hybrid power units being capped at seven megajoules. This is to stop excessive charging during a flying lap and to encourage more consistent flat-out driving during this session.
Cars currently possessing power units with poor energy retention, such as Aston Martin, could be at risk of missing out on qualification for races on high-speed circuits through the 107 percent rule.
This was enforced back in 1996 to ensure that all drivers are fast enough to participate in Sunday’s race and to stop dangerous altercations from happening on track and to ensure that there isn’t a vast difference in speeds.
Whilst still unlikely, the chances of being outside of this threshold are likely to be heightened due to the complexities of the new regulations.
Speaking to media, including Motorsport Week, after qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, at the powerful Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Sainz said: “I think no one out there is enjoying the qualifying lap as much as we did last year.
“I think its clear that we’ve lost quite a bit with these cars around Spa.
“Having said that I don’t want to keep belittling my own sport because it’s not going to do any good.”
Sainz managed to put his Williams into 15th position, outqualifying his teammate Alex Albon, who missed out on Q2, ending up 17th on the grid for the race.
Many of the drivers have been open about qualifying in these new cars and how different it is compared to previous years due to factors, such as ‘super clipping’.
Adding to his comments, Sainz has said that they all know it’s not good enough. it needs to change. it will change. it will evolve.
“Hopefully next year is a step better, and the year after that another step better,” Sainz continued. “But what I said is whoever saw these simulations in 2022-2023 and looked at it and said ‘how can we even accept that?'”
“He needs to review what happened there because it should have never happened.
“But now we are here, we’re having some exciting races, the sport is still growing. So time to move on.”
The changes Sainz alluded to will be starting to arrive next year, as the sport transitions back to a shift towards combustion power, with the aim of producing more excitement, after reviews from the FIA and the sport’s relevant figures after the first few rounds.
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