Vettel deplores lack of driver input on 2019 reg changes

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel is unimpressed by the rule changes F1 will introduce next year in a bid to improve overtaking and closer racing, lamenting the lack of driver consultation.

On Friday, Red Bull's Christian Horner qualified the aero tweaks to the regs, which include a wider simpler front wing, as "rushed and immature", while the changes will also slow the cars by as much as 1.5 seconds according to Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's head of technical matters.

Vettel agrees with his former boss, insisting that slowing down the cars for 2019 is a move in the wrong direction for the sport.

• FIA: Cars will be 'over a second slower' in 2019

"I agree. I find it a bit comical," said the Scuderia driver in Barcelona.

"In 2009 we went 'let's go less aerodynamics for better racing'. I think it didn't change too much.

"Then we said 'let's put more aerodynamics and make them wider, more spectacular'," Vettel added.

"All the drivers' feedback was 'Thank you very much, spectacular, that's what we like'. More challenging, you see us more exhausted after the race.

"And now we want to make them slower again? It's a bit like cruising to America and changing direction 100 times," said the German.

Vettel said a better idea is to let the drivers have a real say about the basic structure of the car regulations.

"Not to say that we know everything, but we know how the cars feel," he said. "And their limitations to overtake. But we're not really asked."

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo is on the same page as the German when it comes to driver involvement.

"We should also participate. We're not engineers, but we know exactly what's going on with the cars during the racing. Our opinions should at least be heard."

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