Agence France-Presse
Barcelona, March 4: Triple World Champion Lewis Hamilton blasted Formula One as ‘broken’ and ‘lacking in direction’ as the sport’s bosses debate a range of changes to regulations.
The Mercedes star stated that tinkering with the qualifying format is detrimental to the sport.
The ‘autosport.com website’ and ‘BBC’ reported that when asked if Formula One is ‘broken, lacking direction, or in rude health?’, Hamilton replied: “I would probably say the first two you suggested.”
But the Brit then added: “I don’t want to say too much, but I do agree with the first two things you said.”
The Briton, speaking on the penultimate day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, also took aim at the new cockpit safety system, known as the ‘Halo’.
The three-pointed carbon structure is placed at the front of the car and is intended to prevent more driver fatalities.
“Please no! This is the worst looking mod (modification) in Formula 1 history. I appreciate the quest for safety but this is Formula 1, and the way it is now is perfectly fine,” Hamilton wrote on his Instagram page.
Demands to increase driver safety have intensified following the deaths of Jules Bianchi and IndyCar driver Justin Wilson last year.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Nico Rosberg however, hailed the device as a ‘massive safety improvement’.
However, the father of former F1 driver Bianchi, who died after colliding with a recovery vehicle at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014, claimed the new measures don’t go far enough. “This is a step forward, but it does not solve everything,” Philippe Bianchi told ‘Canal Plus’.
The Halo won’t be used for the upcoming season which starts at the Australian Grand Prix, March 20, but a meeting of the F1 Commission last week approved measures aimed at introducing it for the 2017 season.
