Buckle up! It's about to get tough out there
Faster cars creating more g-force will challenge today’s cosseted drivers in ways not seen for a decade. How will they cope? We asked three stars from the hairy-chested turbo and V10 eras to give their thoughts
Mark Webber
Competed for Minardi, Williams, Jaguar and Red Bull between 2002 and 2013, experiencing the change from V10 to V8 power
What are your reminiscences of driving the more brutally powerful cars of the V10 era on durable tyres?
The V10 era was certainly very intense as were the late Noughties, 2008/2009. Tyre technology was at its peak in the mid-2000s. The grip was astronomical lap after lap after lap and generally on low fuel, the race was separated into short stints. It was extremely rewarding for the drivers to drive such cars. Then, after they stabilised the tyre war in 2007, i e one tyre, the 2009 aero changes played a huge role in keeping the cars enjoyable to drive – albeit on a Pirelli tyre from 2011.
How much do you think F1’s appeal has been reduced in recent times, with drivers being forced to run at controlled pace to make their tyres last?
The challenge for F1 in the last few years has been the incredible amount of sensors and simulation that the driver has supporting his profession, so the good drivers use the resources as always to the best of their abilities. But the two biggest factors in the last few years, which haven’t helped our sport, are the perceived negative of quiet cars (acoustically) and drivers being told to manage their pace over the radio. For example, Lewis Hamilton, fighting for a GP win, getting the ‘hammer time’ call over the radio for two or three laps over the course of a whole GP is not right. It should be the other way around; the only time you should be controlling a race is at the end, not throughout. Way too much money and focus is spent on trying to understand the tyres.
Do you think the 2017 regs – wider tyres, greater downforce, more grip etc – are a step in the right direction?
Absolutely no question about it – they are a step in the right direction for the drivers. But unfortunately it might not be what the fans want. I think maybe there’ll be less overtaking, but if fans want to watch overtaking every lap, they need to get their fix from karting or junior category racing. Yes, we need some battles on track but not every corner. The drivers at F1 level must be tested to the maximum of their driving accuracy and precision each Sunday afternoon. We can easily manufacture overtaking as we’ve done in F1 over the years but it should really be the ultimate test for the drivers in every other sense too.
In an ideal world, how should an F1 car look and perform?
In general all F1 cars have looked pretty good in recent years except when by regulation we’ve had ugly noses or engine covers forced upon us. My personal favourites were late 1980s and early ’90s in terms of styling and performance. An F1 car should not be the fastest qualifying car but the fastest racing car in the world on a Sunday afternoon – and by a big margin.
What are the key fitness challenges likely to be in 2017 – and will it be tricky for younger drivers who haven’t previously been exposed to downforce of this magnitude?
For the old boys like Kimi, Fernando, Felipe, Lewis and Seb, the new g-forces will be nothing new to them but the younger generation will have to focus more than ever. Seating position needs to be perfect to support them with the higher g forces. I think lower back, shoulder strength and neck strength will be crucial.
Which is likely to become the most challenging circuit with the latest regs?
Suzuka will be particularly rewarding and at Monaco things will certainly be going pretty fast around there. Why? Suzuka is very, very high speed with little run-off which is good for the focus, and with increased downforce around somewhere like Monaco, aside from the higher entry and apex speeds, the 2017 cars will have an immense amount of traction, so the speed on the shorter acceleration points will be higher.
Which will be the most interesting rivalries?
The most interesting rivalry will be the one between Max and Daniel as I think they’ll spend the most time around each other – and especially so if race wins are on the table consistently. That’ll be an added dynamic. Alonso vs Vandoorne? I don’t think there will be much in terms of rivalry between them as they’ll only be vying for points not podiums so it doesn’t really count for anything. That said,
I hope Stoffel does really well this year as he’s earned his place on the grid the old-school way. Hamilton will try and win the championship by doing the minimum possible – I believe it’s a game he likes to play, to test himself.
Which team might cause the biggest surprise?
Red Bull to topple Mercedes. It’s impossible to read if a midfield team will drop onto the new regs fast and outperform themselves in a good way. But if they do, then as usual as the season goes on they will get out-resourced by the major players.
If I gave you a tenner to place a risky bet, what would it be?
Verstappen to win the world championship.
How do you see the post-Bernie future?
Clearly, it’s a monumental change to how the sport will be run. Commercially Bernie had a model that was extremely rigid and successful for decades. With Liberty, we will have, I think, a huge increase in the showbiz factor. There could be a big change in the exclusiveness of the sport – access to events, TV and digital content is likely to change; all of this is a clean slate for the owners on how they want to do it. And how, on the sporting side, they are going to attract new consumers to F1. How does Liberty visualise the actual racing going forward. What is good racing? Is it all equal teams, NASCAR-style? Manufacturers involved but only from a branding perspective rather than a technical arms race? This will play out in the next two to five years
Ivan Capelli
Competed between 1985 – 1993 and made a name for himself with giant-killing exploits for Leyton House March
Do you see any similarities between the 2017 cars and the ones you used to drive in the 1980s and 1990s?
The bigger tyres remind me of how it was to drive my cars in the 1990s. But at the time the aerodynamics were not as developed as today and so it wasn’t so crucial for the performance. We actually had good support from the mechanical grip, in the ’90s. But now it seems aerodynamics are so crucial that you can be affected by a car two or three seconds ahead.
Do you think the 2017 regs – wider tyres, greater downforce, more grip – are a step in the right direction? Will they help the smaller teams?
I don’t think the new tyres will change Formula 1 that much because the aero is too critical at the moment. Overall, I think F1 should put a cap on technology. Riccardo Patrese told me a few years ago, when he drove the Honda, that the engineers said “You need to use this for the differential, this for the engine, that for the…” Riccardo replied, “No, no, no. Just tell me where the switch for the engine is.” This is the difference between the generations. The problem at the moment is that everything is against the small teams.
For a team to do something like we did with March in the late 1980s is impossible now. The only way for a small team to get a result is if something unexpected happens, like rain or accidents at the front. In the past it was different. For example in 1990 we didn’t qualify at Mexico, then at the next race at Paul Ricard finished second. This is what the fans are waiting for. To see a Leicester win the championship and beat everybody! That’s what really makes the sport interesting.
Which team might cause the biggest surprise?
Mercedes is still the strongest team in Formula 1, but there is a lot of chance to see an improvement from Red Bull and Ferrari, and why not an outsider like McLaren or Force India? But Mercedes is still the team to beat.
Gerhard Berger
The Austrian was a mainstay of F1 for 14 seasons, throughout the turbo era of the 1980s
What are your reminiscences of driving the more brutally powerful cars of the mid 1980s turbo era, particularly a Benetton-BMW in qualifying trim?
When I think about the 1980s I recall a very good ratio between power, weight and aerodynamic performance. That’s what it should all be about. When we had about 1400bhp in qualifying trim and far less downforce than they do today, it was all about car control. Now it’s all about cornering speed and lap time, but with the grip levels they’ll generate it might not look spectacular. Look at MotoGP, which I think is the best form of mainstream racing at present. The bikes are probably 20-25sec per lap slower than Grand Prix cars, yet they look faster and more dramatic. F1 is just a bit too clean.
Do you think F1’s appeal has been reduced in recent times, with drivers being forced to run at controlled pace to make their tyres last?
Of course it has. Tyre management was part of the game during the 1980s, too, but later on there were times when you could race flat out all the way – and that’s how it should be. Cars need to be lighter and tyres more efficient.
Do you think the 2017 regs – wider tyres, greater downforce, more grip – are a step in the right direction?
I don’t think so. The cars might be quicker, but as I said before I doubt things will look that way. A MotoGP bike has 240bhp, weighs 150kg and has no aero. In the mid 1980s we qualified with up to 1400bhp and the cars weighed only 550kg. In both cases the ratio between power and grip is completely different from – and I think better than – what F1 will have this year. I don’t want to be negative about the new rules before the cars have turned a wheel, though, so let’s see how it goes.
Will it be tricky for younger drivers who haven’t previously been exposed to downforce of this magnitude?
I’m sure they’ll adapt. Cornering speeds will be very high, which takes its toll on neck muscles, but I think they’ll get used to it pretty quickly. It will be a significant step up for newcomers – but then it should be.
Which will be the most interesting rivalries?
I think the most interesting aspect will be the different interpretations evolved by the engineers – the battle between design offices. That’s always the way in the first season of fresh regulations. After a while it becomes obvious which solution is the best and all teams begin to move in the same design direction, but this season should produce some interesting and different concepts.
Which team might cause the biggest surprise?
Red Bull, simply because Adrian Newey has been in the business a long time and I think he’s a genius. Everyone has a clean sheet of paper and I’d expect him to come up with the strongest aerodynamic concept.
If I gave you a tenner to place a risky bet, what would it be?
My money is on Lewis Hamilton for the championship, but if I had to pick an outsider? There are a couple of options, but probably Daniel Ricciardo.
How do you see the post-Bernie future?
I grew up in Formula 1 at a time when Bernie was developing the sport, bringing it up from almost nowhere to increase its profile and popularity, so I greatly appreciate what he has done. It will be interesting to see how Liberty Media, a company with a successful track record in America, will handle a sport with a strong European culture. But it has hired Ross Brown, who knows the business inside-out and is an ideal choice to steer them in the right direction.