Red Bull: Less team-centric approach needed for F1

Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan believes Formula 1 needs to be managed with a less team-centric approach, citing the recent decision not to change tyre specifications as a case in point and a missed opportunity to improve the show.

In a bid to potentially tighten the field and reduce Mercedes' supremacy this season, a proposal to switch back to last year's thicker tread Pirelli tyres was put to a vote during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.

Ultimately however, a majority of the teams were against the idea, while Red Bull advocated for a change.

• Pirelli insists a return to 2018-spec tyres wouldn't help teams

"It puts Pirelli in a slightly difficult position," Monaghan said. "They’re doing a decent job, they’re going to win every race, the tyres are surviving on the cars, and they’ve got to maintain their safety record.

"At the risk of being slightly controversial we would quite happily accept the 2018 tyres to come back. I don’t think the risk is as great as some perceive."

This season, Ferrari and Haas have often voiced their complaints about the difficulty in bringing this year's compounds into the optimal working window, a feat that Mercedes has achieved quite efficiently.

Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola has argued that a return to 2018 specs would not necessarily help those that are struggling, insisting that this year's aero package has also played a significant role in how the tyres have behaved.

Monaghan is unconvinced however and feels the priority should be given to improving the action on the track.

"It is about creating a show and I think we almost have to take a step back and take a slightly less team-centric position and turn around and say ‘well, if it would be better for the show, could the teams cope with it’ and our opinion is yes, we could.

"We accept there has been a majority vote not to do so but we hold a slightly different view to the majority then."

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