Lewis Hamilton has called for greater driver inclusion in helping shape the Formula 1 regulations from 2021.
Team bosses and Liberty Media have been embroiled in discussions for months now as the American owners look to overhaul the current structure in the new Concorde Agreement.
From a sporting perspective, the aim is to revolutionise an on-track product that has been heavily criticised with drivers unable to overtake and unable to push hard as they save fuel and tyres.
The GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers Association) had a meeting in Brazil to discuss the situation with CEO Chase Carey and motorsport chief Ross Brawn present and Hamilton gave his assessment speaking afterwards.
“The GPDA is the most unified it’s ever been, all the drivers are in it,” the Briton stated. “We all share a common interest and that’s to make racing better, we have no other benefit and we’re just trying to work on our relationship with [race director] Charlie [Whiting].
“Communication is so key, but at the moment the FIA talk to the tyre people, then you got Ross over here doing development for 2021, but they’re not all connected at the moment and it’s important that happens.
“We [the drivers] can really explain what’s going on with the car, the tyres and help steer it, help them, we’re like engineers for them. So that’s really a key part of the discussion.
“Charlie’s been amazing each weekend when we give information, he really implements them, sometimes into the next race or races down the road, so he’s been very active in that sense, but I feel in the background, for the actual sport, we can be quite useful, so they should use us.”
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Another key reason why Hamilton feels F1 bosses should approach the drivers more, the lack of politics.
“At the moment it’s the teams giving their opinions and each team has a different desire, ‘This’ll work better for us’,” the five-time champion said.
“Every team has a different thing that’ll work better for them and not necessarily what’s best for the sport.
“As for the drivers, we have that one thing and that’s what’s better for driving, so that’s what we’re just working on.”
