Clean up campaign

Sir,

Having just seen the new Ferrari F1 car and read the anti-Tombazis [Ferrari’s chief designer] fall-out, I can only imagine that this is the sort of car the FIA wants to see.

If not, why was lowering of the nose section allowed without the additional lowering of the front bulkhead? Surely the FIA realises by now that F1 designers follow the letter and not the spirit of the regulations. It was ever thus, so there can be no carping but do we really want to see a return to ugly cars?

I thought the 2009 ‘smooth’ cars were handsome, even if the rear wing was at first odd and the front too complicated. The following years have seen the dreaded addenda gradually return to the bodywork. Is it time once again to clean up the cars, as in 2009, and put the platypus noses to rest at the same time?

The answer is probably yes — but please don’t leave it to the FIA!

M Wilkes, Bonvicino, Italy