New qualifying format: Hamilton lashes out at change of rules

World champion believes heavier hybrid cars are the real problem

BARCELONA: Defending Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has hit out at plans for a revolution in the sport’s regulations in 2017 and claimed drivers’ opinions should be more valued.

Changes to the regulations hope to add more speed to the cars in a bid to liven up the sport after Hamilton romped to the title in the dominant Mercedes for the past two years.

However, he claimed the change to heavier hybrid cars in recent years is the real problem with the sport rather than the lack of competition.



“I don’t think the regulations are fine, even if there were five teams battling at the front of the grid, but I like a different kind of car,” said the Englishman.

The deadline on when agreement must be reached for changes to be implemented for the 2017 season was pushed back to April 30 by a meeting of the Formula One strategy group and commission on Tuesday.

However, a new knockout format for qualifying will be introduced ahead of the start of this season on March 20 to try and mix up the grid to provide for more exciting races.



“I just realised that when I got to Formula One I think the car was 600 kilos and now it’s 100 kilos heavier, that is the big difference,” added Hamilton. “We don’t actually have to change the regulations much to go three seconds faster, just make the cars lighter.”

He added: “I think the drivers should be consulted [on such matters].”



Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari posted the fastest time on the fourth and final morning of the first pre-season Formula One test in Barcelona on Thursday as McLaren-Honda were hit by more reliability problems.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th,  2016.

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