Rule changes have failed – Domenicali

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali says Formula 1 must ensure that next time it introduces a major rules overhaul it does more to ensure the changes will succeed, after admitting this year’s aerodynamic revisions haven’t worked.

Despite the 2009 season heralding a radical new technical era for the sport, with the introduction of reduced downforce levels, new-look wings and KERS, overtaking has remained difficult on all types of circuit.

Domenicali concedes it is clear that the main aim of significantly increasing passing opportunities has not been achieved.

“I think the 2009 regulations were changed in order to have better overtaking, that was the main principle,” the team principal said in a video interview for Ferrari sponsor Shell.

“I have to say that if you look at the races, that objective was not really achieved so far.

“So that means that when there is a change of regulation, before doing something it’s very important we really need to make sure that what we want to achieve in terms of objectives is really achieved.”

The Ferrari chief says the only positive thing that can be said for the rule changes is that it has mixed up the traditional pecking order, although his Italian squad is ironically one of the big teams to have suffered this year.

“The objective that was achieved was the fact that we had a different grid, different cars were more competitive and this is for sure the only thing I can say on the new regulation,” Domenicali added.

Source: ITV