Lewis Hamilton has taken aim at Formula One's powerbrokers in the wake of proposed changes designed to usher in a new era for the sport
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drives across the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona during testing for the upcoming Formula One season yesterday
Barcelona: Lewis Hamilton has taken aim at Formula One's powerbrokers in the wake of proposed changes designed to usher in a new era for the sport.
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Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drives across the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona during testing for the upcoming Formula One season yesterday. Pic/AFP
Formula One's Strategy Group, which consists of the major teams, as well as chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt, met in Switzerland on Tuesday to discuss ways of spicing up the show.
A new qualifying format, which is set to be introduced for the season-opening race in Melbourne next month, as well as changes to the technical make-up for the sport, have been proposed. But reflecting on the decisions, Hamilton, the triple world champion, said: "I don't agree with the changes that are made, and have been made for many, many years, so you just live with it.
"The drivers should be consulted. I am sure they have been involved more in recent decisions, but we do have a feeling in the car, we do have some ideas of what could be better, and we know what is not good in the car.
"Some of the drivers have been driving 10 to 15 years and have been through all the different rule changes and know which ones work, and which ones didn't."
The new qualifying format, now set to be introduced in time for the Australian GP on March 20, will see the slowest drivers eliminated every 90 seconds after a timed period — rather than at the end of the three sessions — in hope of providing greater unpredictability.
"I don't feel it's going to change much, but I hope it is a surprise for us and it does. Whatever decisions they have made have not been working for many, many years," said Hamilton.
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