Mercedes: Pushing the limit “to 95 kg of fuel for the race”
After all the criticism heard against the 2014 regulations, Paddy Lowe, the technical director of Mercedes, addresses the recent excesses. He clarifies his conception of Formula 1. According to him, the new constraints imposed on manufacturers are not opposed to the philosophy of the discipline.
Since the beginning of the 2014 season, many voices have been raised against the new regulations, demanding at least amendments or even a complete rollback.
The outrageous domination of the Mercedes team since this winter is certainly not unrelated to the fact that within the paddock, some wish for a change. But according to Jean Todt, the president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), it is not the regulations that should adapt to the teams; rather, it is the teams that should do everything possible to close the gap that separates them from the star firm. Indeed, the Frenchman states: “It seems that Mercedes is stronger. I do not have the power to say ‘let’s slow them down,’ if they are faster than the others, it is up to others to ensure they catch up.”
According to the agency Reuters, this opinion obviously suits Paddy Lowe. The executive director of the Mercedes team readily agrees with Jean Todt’s statements: « I think Jean’s opinion is very sensible. »
But he doesn’t stop there. For him, some ideas recently proposed were downright in the realm of the absurd. He explains: « Some things have been said here and in recent weeks that are completely unrealistic. The first suggestion was that ‘we needed 110kg [of fuel].’ But does anyone realize that you can’t put 110 kg in these cars? Oops! ‘In that case, just shorten the Grand Prix.’ Can you imagine selling this concept to the public? It would be like saying we’ve decided people aren’t fit enough these days and marathons will now be only 40 km, not 42. »
These proposals discredit F1 and Lowe would like to move on to something else.
The Englishman at Mercedes wants us to stick to the fundamentals of the premier discipline in motorsport. He reminds us what it is and what it should remain, for him: « Formula 1 is about developing technology, setting high goals. I would say that the 100 kg for the race and for the maximum flow per hour are really sensible figures. The nature of F1 is to push technology to its limits and beyond. For me, the idea of going backwards next year is absurd. »
Not content with just maintaining the idea of fuel economy, he would like to go even further: « If we were to do something that matches the spirit of Formula 1, it would be to push the limit even further. Maybe next year, we should use 95 kg for the race. »
Between the pros and cons of the 2014 regulations, the debate continues. But the current situation seems likely to persist, much to the dismay of Mercedes’ competitors. The salvation of the “others” will probably involve a radical reassessment of their car for 2015, even though it is still a bit early to tell.
