Brawn happy to leave 'far too critical' 2021 F1 cars behind

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Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn is looking forward to seeing next year's all-new designs take over from the sport's current spec machines which he believes are "not very good racing cars".

Grand Prix racing's 2022 regulation platform was put together after months of discussions and consultations between F1, the FIA and the teams.

The rules have been devised with the purpose of improving the cars' ability to follow each other more closely to create better racing and more overtaking opportunities, thus boosting the show overall for F1's fans.

Asked whether F1's latest generation of contenders that are now retired from the sport will be looked upon as the "ultimate" Formula 1 cars, Brawn offered a mixed view on today's current-spec machines.

"I think it depends on what your definition is of the ultimate Formula 1 car," he told F1TV's Tech Talk program in Abu Dhabi.

"If it's the fastest, possibly. If it's the best racing car, no.

"I think these cars are far too critical when they're close to each other.

"They're far too critical if they touch a kerb because a piece flies off and then they don't work anymore. So they are incredible devices, I mean the complexity of them is amazing."

Read also: McLaren's Key expecting a few 'tricks' from teams in 2022

While Brawn highlighted the engineering prowess behind F1's current-spec designs, the Briton made clear that as pure racing machines they had not helped improve the spectacle on the track.

"It's the methodologies they've now got with reiterative software, which just keeps checking and checking and checking until they arrive at the ideal design for a specific area of the car," he explained.

"And every piece is critical to every other piece, and when one piece gets knocked off - because they are racing cars after all - it doesn't work properly.

"That's been one of the focuses on the new car, that we try and make them a bit more robust, a little simpler, a little less critical," Brawn said.

"No doubt, the teams will complicate the concept, but then I think we can pull it back again," he commented.

"So they're [the 2021 cars] fascinating and incredibly impressive designs, but actually not very good racing cars."

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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.