Formula 1 Q&A: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s start, rule changes and will McLaren and Red Bull benefit from a month’s break?

Amid the controversy surrounding the new rules, what is more important, the entertainment scene or driver satisfaction? Taking the changes into account, what things are likely to change? -Kevin and Tim

For this answer, I’ve combined two separate questions and responses. I hope Kevin and Tim don’t mind.

Formula 1 is sport first and entertainment second. The hope is that it will be entertaining, and efforts are being made to make sure that is the case, but sports cannot be entertaining all the time. You get as much excitement from 0-0 draws in football as 5-4. Not all rugby matches are as compelling as the one between France and England on Saturday evening.

Most Formula 1 stakeholders recognize this as a no-brainer.

The new rules were not arrived at from an entertainment standpoint first, at least not at first. The engine rules were changed to attract new manufacturers – successfully – and only later was it realized that the chassis rules would be a problem.

Primarily, the issues revolve around the fact that with such powerful electrical systems, a nominal 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric power, batteries of the current size, and front axle recuperation not allowed, the cars are power-hungry.

It’s fair to say that many people in F1 realize that the chassis rules are a patchwork of compromises reached as plaster for the engine rules, while at the same time trying to reconcile a series of competing political positions.

It is not surprising that, in those circumstances, the rules are less than ideal, to say the least.

The fundamentals of the rules will not change, but admittedly some areas could be modified to minimize some of the larger concessions.

It seems clear from some of the comments made by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after the race in China that some of the changes that have come with the new rules are welcome.

“From an entertainment perspective, what we saw today between Ferrari and Mercedes was a good race,” Wolff said.

“There’s been a lot of overtaking. We were all part of Formula 1 where there were no overtaking, literally. Sometimes we get nostalgic for the good old years. But I think the product is good in itself. We’ve seen some racing in the midfield as well. And that, I think, is a positive thing.”

“Qualifying fully would be great. But when you look at the fans and the excitement that is out there, the cheering when there are overtakes and also on social media, the younger fans, which is the vast majority, from all demographics, like the sport is at the moment.

“We can always look at how we can improve it. But at the moment, all the indicators and all the data suggest that people like it. I spoke with Stefano (Domenicali, Formula 1 boss). He says that too. So, for some, the car is not fun to drive.”

This sounds a bit like Wolff is saying drivers can delete it if they don’t like it.

However, there is widespread concern about the way the need for energy management has damaged not only the driving experience but also the very essence of the sport – especially in qualifying, and especially in fast corners, many of which are now used to recover energy and are no longer taken at the limit of grip.

Currently, there are two levels of energy recovery. When the car is flat, the maximum reaches 250 kilowatts, in what is known in Formula 1 parlance as “super clipping”. But 350kW once the driver lifts and/or brakes.

One obvious change is to allow cars to super clip – the most efficient way to recover – at 350 kilowatts. It looks like this could happen very soon, perhaps even at the Miami Grand Prix in early May.

Another quick solution could be to reduce the power from electrical components from the current 350 kilowatts to 300 kilowatts or 250 kilowatts. Then the power will last longer and the need for recovery events will be reduced.

More sweeping changes, such as changing the split between internal combustion and electric power to be more in favor of the engine, or increasing the fuel power limit, will require significant changes in the power units. So it can’t happen before next year at the earliest.

It remains to be seen whether there is an appetite for that – especially since people are already starting to wonder what the next engine regulations will be, and when exactly they will come into effect.