Max Verstappen has responded to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s suggestion that Formula 1’s new rules in 2021 & 2022 are about “stopping us”.
Over the next two seasons, F1 is set to undergo quite the overhaul with a first-ever budget cap being implemented followed by the introduction of all-new cars, which was postponed by a year due to Covid-19.
The main aim of these changes, and more, is to address two key areas which have hurt F1 in recent decades, that of financial inequality and the lack of competition.
Of course, as the dominant force on the grid since 2014, Mercedes understandably feel they are the main target of the changes, with Wolff claiming “everything has been done to stop us”.
But Verstappen believes the new direction simply gives fans and drivers what they want, better racing.
“We need the races to be more exciting and the drivers to be able to run closer to each other, so that the grid is not a decisive factor on the weekend, as it is now,” he told Motorsport.com.
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“Look at MotoGP, for example, you can start 10th and still win. This is unlikely to happen in F1 because it is very difficult to follow other cars on most circuits.
“In Imola, for example, we could see these problems.
“Valtteri had a car that was three or four-tenths slower because of damage, but I was not able to overtake him when I was faster, you could see that as soon as I managed to get past him.
“I believe that is why we have new rules from 2022 and if these new rules will make Mercedes slower or not, it is hard to say. You can’t say that now.”
Certainly, as was proven when F1 last significantly changed the cars in 2017, the German manufacturer will still remain a tough team to beat for quite some time yet.