Incoming Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has outlined the main areas he wants to see at the forefront of the sport under his leadership.
The former Ferrari team boss replaces Chase Carey in January and will inherit an F1 facing numerous challenges and about to embark on significant changes as new regulations are introduced.
Of those challenges, the biggest is undoubtedly deciding the next generation engine formula that will be used, with calls to bring forward its introduction from 2026 to 2025.
This has also taken on extra significance after Honda’s decision to pull out after 2021.
“This is something that will be addressed in the coming months and that will hopefully attract new manufacturers,” Domenicali told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
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“The future of F1 is the hybrid engine because investing only in electric is wrong.
“It is necessary to diversify what’s on offer but also keeping an eye on the costs. Manufacturers can’t be confronted with the investments that are involved in today’s engines.
“We will start with a drastic cut in costs to avoid the mistakes that have been made in the past.
“We have to simplify the rules: if you take a look at the technical or sporting regulations they look like the Bible,” he added. It must be simplified, while keeping the interpretative area as small as possible, avoiding grey areas.
“F1 will become fascinating for the manufacturers, I can’t say any more,” he predicted.
“F1 can be a great platform even for those who have invested so much in electric. F1 offers opportunities for the development of other technologies with a focus on sustainability.”
Another key goal for Domenicali is to put the emphasis back on drivers to make the difference on track, rather than be limited by their car as it currently the case, something that has allowed Mercedes to dominate since 2014.
“F1 today, as a world sports and business platform, is still the one that has the highest number of spectators and fans and is therefore very strong and solid,” the Italian explained.
“A lot of people have tried to say F1 isn’t interesting anymore. That is absolutely not true.
“I think on the contrary there will be more and more interest on the part of manufacturers, private teams, and many others.
“Mercedes has won for years, but the cycle has always been the same. We must make sure that our sport increasingly puts the drivers back at the centre.
“As, for example, in MotoGP where it is perceived that it is the rider who makes the difference, on this front F1 has never been in the shape that it is now with so many drivers so young and so strong.
“It is clear that the car element has a very important impact, a burden that is lost only when there are unpredictable situations like in the second Bahrain race. When the cards mix, extraordinary races happen, but that’s not enough.
“We have taken a step forward with the 2022 rules where the impact of aerodynamics will be less and there will be a chance to stay more in the wake of a car ahead.
“The second element is the budget cap that will make the big teams review all the ways in which they develop.”