'Keep calm,' says Domenicali on criticism of new F1 rules

What’s Happening

Alright so Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali calls for calm in the face of criticism from drivers of the sport’s new rules - but dropped changes would be made if necessary.

Keep calm, says Domenicali on criticism of new F1 rules Image source, Image caption, The final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain starts at 07:00 GMT on Friday By Andrew Benson F1 Correspondent in Bahrain Published 5 minutes ago Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali has called for calm in the face of criticism from drivers of the sports new rules - but dropped changes would be made if necessary. F1s four active world champions - Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris - have all made disparaging comments about the driving experience of the new cars in one way or another. (plot twist fr)

But Domenicali dropped in a news conference on Thursday: “We need to avoid overreaction because its just the beginning of a new journey, so thats why I say we need to stay calm.

The Details

“And if there is something that is useful and can be implemented straight away, Ive seen a open approach by [governing body] the FIA and also the teams sharing their defined data of course with the others. “Its a new concept where it has to be, of course, improved if needed.

” Norris admits new F1 cars not purest form of racing Published 9 hours ago Just not F1 or a lot of fun? New cars split drivers Published 12 February The biggest rule change in F1 history has seen cars, engines and tyres all subject to change this year, plus to the introduction of carbon-neutral sustainable fuels.

Why This Matters

Drivers have targeted the new engines, which require substantial energy management at all times for optimum performance. Verstappen dropped F1 was now “like Formula E on steroids”, while Alonso added “the chef could drive the car” at the speed he was going around some fast corners to harvest energy, and Hamilton claimed the new rules were “ridiculously complex” .

This is the kind of move that can define a season.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and we’ll keep you updated as more info drops.

We want to hear your thoughts on this.