No ugly cars in 2017 but jury still out on close racing - Symonds

Formula 1 cars will apparently pass the litmus test in terms of aesthetics this year, says former Williams tech boss Pat Symonds.

The 63-year-old engineer and F1 veteran left Grand Prix racing earlier this year but did have a prominent role in shaping the sport's regulation overhaul, and he also knows exactly what this year's Williams will look like

According to Symonds, this season's field should offer considerable appeal in terms of looks, something F1 designers were asked to work on.

"I think the cars look great," Symonds told Motorsport.co.

"I've said before I was really worried that they'd look quite retro, but they don't. They look quite nice.

"As with all these things, we could have tidied up a few areas and done things better to improve the aesthetics of the cars.

"But it's not like the horrible [stepped-noses] things we had in 2012 or that sort of time."

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Before pre-season testing gets underway at the end of the month, predictions about what the cars will exactly look like are vain.

With regard to performance however, there are no doubts about the gains in speed although Symonds isn't sure this will directly benefit the racing.

"In terms of the racing I think the jury's still out, but I do believe it has a very good chance of altering the status quo, and I think that's quite a good thing, just because it's a reset," he said.

"One can understand why Mercedes were perhaps not quite so keen on any change."

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