Formula 1 motorsport director Ross Brawn has defended the 2021 car design after Racing Point claimed they will be “nasty to drive”.
Technical director Andrew Green claimed the front wing concept would create “unstable” aerodynamics meaning drivers would not be able to push because the cars would be too unpredictable.
However, in responding to the criticism, Brawn revealed one telling detail that could explain Green’s point.
“When we started work on the aero program, Force India/Racing Point declared they would not be able to support it and have not been able to contribute anything to this program because of the resources they have,” he told RaceFans.
“They’ve probably done the least amount of work on this program of any of the teams we’ve been involved. So it’s a bit of an unfortunate statement to be critical at this stage as I think it’s premature and not based on any facts they have, maybe opinion.
“I think once he gets into properly designing his car he’ll smooth out any anomalies he may have imagined.”
Of course being Brawn, there was also a technical aspect to his response.
“I’d be amazed if Andrew Green has got a tyre model yet of an 18-inch tyre that tells him what the tyres are doing in cornering. We have. I don’t think he has,” he stated.
“But just stepping back, this refinement has only existed in the last few years. I can remember 10 years ago we didn’t have the knowledge or simulations. We didn’t know what was going on.
“And I don’t think the cars 10 years ago were nasty to drive. I think we were a bit less refined than where they are now. So, I think it’s a bit premature to say that.”
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One key element of the 2021 rules that hasn’t been popular is Brawn’s efforts to prevent designers from undoing the work of producing cars that can follow closely by restricting areas of development.
Williams co-founder Patrick Head also noted how that was a move somewhat against what F1 is about but admitted it is a step that had to be taken.
“I think from some point of view, the engineering side, it’s regressive really, unfortunately,” Head said via F1i.com.
“But ultimately motorsport has become far too expensive and the difference between the top teams and the teams lower down is too big. We need to have more teams racing together.”
As for what has been created for 2021, the legend of the paddock added: “I think the people involved have done a good job.
“I would say it’s unfair to say it’s been dumbed down because definitely the cleverer engineers will find ways and means of making a difference.
“But there are certainly not quite the freedoms there were when I was more involved.”
