Brawn says two-tier F1 championship 'can't go on like this'

Ross Brawn says the widening margin between the sport's trio of top teams and the mid-field runners is "unacceptable" and must be addressed.

Formula 1's sporting manager pointed to a worrying statistic to illustrate the persistent performance gap that exits between the top of the grid and the remainder of the field.

Since the beginning of 2017, only two drivers from midfield teams managed to score a podium finish and both results were achieved in specific circumstances: Williams Lance Stroll last year in Baku and Force India Sergio Perez this season, also in Azerbaijan.

"Two podiums from a total of 123 [across the two seasons] is unacceptable, especially when it comes with an ever increasing technical and financial divide," said Brawn in his post-Abu Dhabi debrief.

"It's a problem we are tackling together with the FIA and the teams, because the future of Formula 1 depends on it.

"There are various solutions on the table and we must all accept that we can't go on like this for too much longer."

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As Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull remained unassailable, mid-field drivers have virtually instigated their own 'best of the rest' championship, a notion that chagrins Brawn.

"Their battle was certainly thrilling, however, it's hard for the fans to truly get excited about a battle for eighth place," said Brawn.

"Having said that, congratulations to Renault for finishing fourth, confirming the progress it is making and to Haas, as finishing fifth in only your third year in the sport is a great achievement."

Brawn also noted Sauber's significant progress in 2018 and praised Force India for rising from the ashes of an entity that went into administration.

"Sauber fought back after struggling for the previous two years, partly thanks to the talents of Leclerc," he added.

"But a special word goes out to the men and women of Force India who worked hard all season without letting themselves get distracted by the serious problems that affected the company and threatened its very existence.

I think that managing to keep Force India on the grid and assuring it a stable future is one of the most important things that happened in 2018."

Next year, F1 will see several big rules changes with regard to aerodynamics, with the introduction of a simpler front wing and barge-boards, and a wider and deeper rear wing, all for the sake of potentially improving overtaking.

"The first steps for the future have therefore been taken," said Brawn. "But there's still a lot to do in the coming crucial months."

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