Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey reckons Formula 1’s proposed 2017 rule changes simply don’t go far enough and the order is therefore unlikely to change as a result.
The Briton, who has taken a less involved role at Red Bull Racing in order to focus his time on other projects due to growing tired of F1’s restrictive rules, believes the cars are now identical with very little room for innovation.
“I have always enjoyed rule changes because it gives fresh opportunities,” Newey told Middle Eastern publication The National.
“The regulations have become increasingly restrictive. If you go back to, let’s say the 1970s and the 1980s, you saw this huge variety of shapes of cars because the regulations were relatively free.
“Now, if you painted all the cars white in the pit lane, you have to be quite knowledgeable to know which car is from which team.”
Newey’s interest in F1 could be reignited with a major rule change, but he doesn’t reckon that will be the case in 2017, despite F1 bosses advertising the proposed changes as “massive”.
“Regulation changes give that opportunity to do something different,” he added. “However, with the regulation changes that are being talked about for 2017, they are actually not that different to what we have now. Slightly wider tyres. Slightly revised aerodynamics regulations. No really fundamental differences.”
One proposal Newey has thrown his backing behind is that of an independent engine, which the 57-year-old reckons is a “very good solution” to many of the sports problems.
“An alternative which is being proposed by the FIA is that there should be a different engine, an FIA engine, that the small teams can use, an engine that will be competitive. I think that will be a very good solution. But the manufacturers don’t want it, so it’s a battle.”
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