Following cars in F1 'as bad as it's ever been' - Hulkenberg

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Nico Hulkenberg says tweaks to this year's aero rules have not made the driver's job of following another car the least bit easier.

In a bid to promote closer racing and better overtaking, F1 introduced this year a new aero package featuring a less sophisticated front-wing and a wider, deeper rear wing.

Before the season got underway, F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn said the changes would likely serve as a basis for further evolution during the run-up to 2021 when the sport ushers in an entirely new regulation platform.

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For Hulkenberg however, the 2019 aero tweaks haven't fulfilled their purpose.

"I feel it's as bad as it's ever been, to be honest," the Renault driver told Motorsport.com.

"Especially if you get really close, maybe five tenths. If the guy in front of you has a wobble and makes a mistake, the sudden loss of grip you experience is sometimes drastic and you're just forced to get off the throttle or you're going to go off.

"It's really like hitting the Chinese wall or taking the ground from below your feet."

Hulkenberg believes only a fundamental regulation revamp will succeed in eventually delivering a positive impact on how cars behave when racing close together.

"We need a different concept, I understand that's where it's heading," said the German who, along with Lewis Hamilton, was present at the meeting that took place last month in Paris where F1's tech chiefs discussed the sport's future rules.

"I think the technical rules are heading in the right direction and for me the biggest subject is really pinning down the aero regulations in the right way so that we can have good, close, clean racing.

"Everyone in that meeting really understood that and it seemed as though they wanted the same, because at the end of the day, racing and a good show is what sells Formula 1 and produces good entertainment."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.