F1 boss 'optimistic' about new season, whilst keeping 'meritocracy' alive in the sport

F1’s motorsport boss Ross Brawn says he’s optimistic that the 2022 cars will improve racing in the upcoming season, but hopes that the sport remains a meritocracy, where the best teams always win.

Speaking in an interview with F1.com, the former F1 team boss said:

“[The new regulations] will take a little while to settle in but I think we're going to be in a far better place going forward with the type of car we’re going to have than we had. Every decision we have made has been towards not dumbing down the sport but making it more achievable for more of the teams and to get a closer competition going on for the future while still leaving it a meritocracy, so the best teams still win.”

Brawn led F1’s efforts to develop new radical regulations that focus on allowing cars to follow each other closely at all speeds, thereby improving overtaking potential. Originally planned for the 2021 season, the regulations were delayed for a year due to the pandemic.

Following a close championship battle last season that saw the two title protagonists head to the final race of the season level on points, there’s a general sense of excitement and optimism about the new season.

With new cars that are deliberately designed to improve closer racing, combined with an even distribution of young and capable talent across some of the best teams on the grid, 2022 is expected to deliver an even better season than its predecessor.

Despite the general expectation that the new regulations could upend the current grid order, Brawn feels that it’s important for F1 to remain a meritocracy, where only the deserving take victories and pole positions.

He further said:

“I think any win, any victory, has to be on merit. I honestly don’t think the regulations will change the general order of things dramatically. I think it will bring it a lot closer and I think we’ll see some of what the midfield teams challenging.”

Brawn feels that while some of the mid-field teams might not turn out to be championship contenders, the new regulations have the potential to increase the number of championship protagonists from more than just one or two top teams.

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F1’s new regulations could have negative effect on racing: Norris

Lando Norris believes the new regulations that are designed to improve overtaking might reduce the number of on-track battles in 2022. The McLaren driver feels the number of great on-track battles between drivers seen during last season was down to the difficulty in overtaking, and therefore made for good entertainment.

The new regulations, which allow cars to follow each other closely at all speeds, however, might reduce the number of sustained battles. Speaking in an interview with RaceFans, following McLaren’s 2022 car launch, the young Briton said:

“There were a lot of great battles you saw last year because of the difficulty of overtaking. There was a lot of great battles, like Hamilton and Fernando [Alonso, at the Hungarian Grand Prix]. Hamilton couldn’t get past Fernando in Budapest because it was so difficult to follow, and everyone thought that was one of the best battles of the season. Whereas maybe this year, you see Lewis past in two laps, and you don’t kind of see that side of it. You don’t get to see as good a battle.”

Meanwhile, Norris also concedes that several potential battles never materialized last season, especially at high-speed circuits due to the downforce loss that the following driver experienced when closely following the driver in front. He feels that while battles such as the Hungary duel between Hamilton and Alonso might not happen, the new season could bring in other forms of on-track battles.