Carlos Sainz asks FIA and FOM to stay flexible on new F1 rules after Bahrain testing
Carlos Sainz has urged the FIA and FOM to stay flexible with F1’s new regulations, warning that energy-harvesting demands at circuits like Melbourne and Jeddah may require fine-tuning
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Williams Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has asked the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM) to remain open-minded about the new regulations, arguing that some adjustments may need to be made.
Now that pre-season testing in Bahrain has come to an end, the teams are focused on the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, which will take place from 6-8 March.
As everyone gets to grips with the new regulations, which feature an almost 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power, among many other major changes, Sainz was asked by Motorsport.com how much of a challenge energy harvesting will be at Albert Park in Melbourne.
"Yeah, I think Melbourne is going to be more challenging for sure. But I cannot tell you how much because I haven't run the calibrations in the simulator of what we're going to find ourselves in Melbourne with," he said in Bahrain.
"I think in general, my message to FOM and FIA is I think the start of the year, we need to stay a bit open-minded in case the regulations that we've come up with are maybe a bit exaggerated on the amount of harvesting or deployment that we have to do through a lap, which might make some circuits OK, like potentially here, even though I still think here is not fully OK with what we're seeing so far.
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images
"But tracks like Melbourne or potentially Jeddah, tracks that might be more energy demanding, yeah, I think we might need to adjust a bit the regulations.
"So fair play, it's not easy because it's such a big change that I don't think anyone knew how to predict how much downforce drag the car was going to have, what level of deployment the teams would come up with. But so far, I would say I would only ask to stay open in case we need to fine-tune or adjust to make the category and make the show better.
"That's my only message. I think we should stay flexible rather than committed to a certain level of energy management."
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