Todt: 'Too much reliability among the top F1 teams'

FIA president Jean Todt believes that Formula 1's front-running outfits are too reliable, a state of affairs directly linked to overspending says the Frenchman.

Mercedes spearheaded the charge once again this season, its W08 Silver Arrows proving as reliable as it was effective, especially in the hands of world champion Lewis Hamilton.

"Even if the Mercedes was not always the fastest, Lewis scored points in 20 of the 20 Grands Prix," said Todt. "The cars are too reliable."

One could argue that a lack of reliability was precisely the reason for Ferrari's demise against Mercedes in the latter part of the season, but Todt disagrees.

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"Ferrari impressed me as well," he said.

"I stay with what I said: Ferrari and Mercedes were too reliable. That costs money. Tests, simulators, it's all too much.

"We don't need all of that for a good sport. Actually, the contrary," the FIA president added.

Todt also added his thoughts on the ongoing talks between the governing body, Formula 1's management and the teams about the sport's future regulation platform

"The current engines are too expensive, too complicated and too quiet," he admitted.

"But we can build on them. We are currently talking to the manufacturers about an evolution of the current engines. The process is not finished yet."

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