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#1 REASON FOR HOPE – THE END OF TYRE MANAGEMENT
Winston Churchill once said: “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Despite the concerns raised in the previous pages, there is also reason to believe the 2017 technical overhaul will spice things up.
Racing on more durable Pirelli compounds, the drivers should be able to push without having to worry too much about looking after their tyres. What they should focus on though is their level of fitness, with this year’s cars expected to be more physically demanding than their predecessors.
“To drive that car at maximum speed for 50, 60 or 70 laps is going to be very challenging for the drivers,” Brawn said. “Therefore, I think you'll see more variation during a race of drivers fatiguing and losing performance– that will be a positive element.”
Higher cornering speeds also mean there will be less room for error at the wheel.
“Cars will be physically a bit harder to drive, and a bit more punishing if you make mistakes,” Renault chassis technical director Nick Chester told F1i.
“You might have to be a little bit tidier because, when the corner speeds have come up with a good amount, if you start to lose the car, it is harder to get it back. You may have to have a very tidy lap.”
