Coulthard: ‘F1 is trying too hard to save the planet’

David Coulthard thinks that Formula One should “not try to save the world through its rules and regulations” as smaller teams continue to vie for their financial survival following last year’s radical changes.

A 13-time grand prix winner, DC believes that the sport may have gone too far in overhauling its technical regulations, especially with the introduction of highly sophisticated power plants in 2014.

These V6 turbocharged units have led to a steep hike in engine expenditure, with the new PUs costing more than double the amount of money teams used to pay for their V8 normally-aspirated predecessors.

While embracing the need for F1 to pioneer state-of-the-art technologies, Coulthard also claims this should not penalise the overall show.

“I think maybe the sport is trying too hard to save the planet,” he told F1i. “One grand prix season burns less fuel than one transatlantic flight. Fuel usage in Formula One is not going to save the planet.

“Developing technologies in Formula One of course will accelerate those (improvements) but at the expense of having a full grid because £5m engines to £20m engines… £15m is a lot of money in anybody’s book to go and try finding this extra money.

“We have to be a little bit careful that Formula One does not try to save the world through its rules and regulations. What it does (need to) do is be road relevant, be the pinnacle of motorsport, and be as competitive across the board as is possible in any elite sport.”

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