Formula 1 team bosses have met in Suzuka to discuss ways to improve the racing spectacle.
Though the sport has a number of formal structures where its direction is discussed and decided, the Suzuka summit was a less rigid affair with no formal agenda, and omitted representation from F1 and the FIA.
“It was just to talk about the state of F1 and how we’re going to improve it going forward,” explained Racing Point Force India CEO Otmar Szafnauer of the meeting that included all 10 team bosses.
“So, for example, if we have two-pit-stop race it might be better; or a combination of some doing one, some doing two. So how do we do that? It was all about improving the show.
“I thought it was a good idea and maybe we’d come up with some suggestions, but I didn’t hear anything different from whatever was said before; two stops better than one stop, how are we going to make that happen?
“There are different opinions, but the one thing we all agree on is if we can split strategies, that will be good, because everyone tends to the same strategy now.”
Szafnauer’s comments are similar to those made by Lewis Hamilton, who suggested a move to even softer compound tyres would not only afford drivers more grip, but naturally encourage multiple stops courtesy of the faster wearing rubber.
“I’ve really got to keep pushing Pirelli, because the tyres feel great here, but this whole one-stop business is just ridiculous,” asserted Hamilton.
“So next year I reckon they’ve got to go like three or four steps, maybe three steps softer. Swing them (the compounds) all lower (softer) so we have to do at least two stops per race.
“It’s going to make it a little bit more challenging, and more grip, naturally, as you go to the softer compounds.
“And then the thinner gauge, so you have less of that thermal blisters that we see and maybe we can be able to follow (other cars) and have more racing.”
F1 is in action this weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix, with qualifying set to start at 1600 AEST.