Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff warns against hasty reactions over the perceived lack of emotion in Formula 1 racing.
Criticism has been leveled at the sport for reducing overtaking opportunities throughout the season, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint weekend of particular concern as there was little action at the track.
Moreover, in the ongoing campaign, Red Bull has confirmed its dominance with victories in all five races so far, leaving its close competitors Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari struggling to close the gap.
In order to make the spectacle more attractive, the technical regulations for F1 cars were thoroughly modified last season. These changes consisted in the removal of aerodynamic surfaces from the top of the vehicles, which allowed the car to come closer to the car when cornering.
While the first year of the revised rules received generally positive feedback, the subsequent modifications and progress made by the teams got in the way of F1’s goal of delivering exciting racing consistently at every event.
The 51-year-old told the media: “In this sport we tend to be manic-depressive, from enthusiasm to depression. When things are going well then it’s great, then we have a race that’s not so great and of course we talk about it then.
“But a lot of things were taken out of context to make the headlines. And I think we just have to see if we have a pattern that holds up: is overtaking harder or not? Is 20 cars a second? Is it right to have or not? And are we creating too much downforce through the floor?
“For me, all of this doesn’t have the right answer, so we need to find a baseline for the next few races, see if there’s anything we can improve on.”
Ahead of the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix, many teams are preparing to introduce new improvements. This is due to the cancellation of the Imola Grand Prix due to unfavorable weather conditions in the region.
The big question is whether these upgrades have the potential to generate excitement in the current Formula 1 season, which has been criticized for its increasing predictability.
