As multiple F1 teams speak up for better regulation in the sport, Alain Prost believes the FIA has an uphill task ahead of them concerning fixing the rulebook.
Prost is a four-time F1 world champion who was most recently the non-executive director of Alpine. The Frenchman was subject to an acrimonious departure from the team as it restructures for the new 2022 season.
In light of the Abu Dhabi fiasco, Prost was asked about the state of F1 and the interpretation and implementation of rules in the sport during an interview with RacingNews365. He said:
“What happened, for sure, was not very correct – that is obvious. On the other side, we have some very, very difficult rules at the moment. There’s one thing that we have to be very careful [of], and that’s what could happen now, today.”
The Professor, as Prost is nicknamed, then went on to highlight the varying degrees of pressure that was put on Race Director Michael Masi during the season. He said:
“There is always a lot of pressure from different teams. When you’re a top team — we’re talking about Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari — you always put a lot of pressure for the rules, for the technical rules, for the clerk of the course.”
The FIA is currently conducting an internal investigation into the final laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The results from the same could have a huge impact on Michael Masi. Reports also suggest Lewis Hamilton's return to F1 could hinge on the same.
Pirelli expect 2022 F1 cars to match up with 2021 machines
Pirelli boss Mario Isola feels the new F1 cars set to be raced in the 2022 season could be as fast as their 2021 counterparts.
The Italian made the claims during an interview with AutoHebdo in France. He said:
“In the beginning, we were talking about more than three seconds per lap. Now it’s half a second or a second. So, if they start with only one-second difference, it means that during the season they will probably reach the same level of performance as in 2021.”
Many have shared their concerns that the new 18-inch wheels, that are part of the sport's new regulations, will make racing a slower spectacle. Research indicated that cars running on the newer wheels were bound to be much slower than the machines used in 2021.
Since the data it is based on was gathered from mule cars and not the actual 2022 models, however, Isola's claims could be closer to home than what most think.