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Further rule changes would be 'absurd' - Mercedes
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says it is "absurd" to suggest that Formula One's new regulations should be tweaked after just two races.
The new regulations introduced at the start of this year have come under criticism at the first two grands prix, with concerns about fuel saving, a lack of sound and the cars being too slow. Following its disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix, Red Bull called for the regulations surrounding fuel flow rates to be dropped and Ferrari is keen to either shorten races or up the amount of fuel allowed for the race distance.
Mercedes, meanwhile, has stolen a march on its rivals, winning the first two races and experiencing no problems regarding the stricter limits on fuel. It believes changing the rules to suit its rivals would be "absurd".
"We are 0.8s off pole last year [in Bahrain], with a car that is 25% down on downforce, with a much harder tyre," Wolff said. "We are at the begging of the season, with 30% less [fuel] consumption, with more power and more torque and straight-line speed … so what are we talking about? We are in a brilliant technical revolution and we talk the sport down. In the UK there's a saying that it is doing a Ratner. Is it because we have an agenda? Somehow I don't get it.
"The interesting bit is that apparently some engine manufacturers or teams are saying we have not managed to make the car efficient and fast with 100kg, so what we are trying to do is let's add 10kg. Well, sorry they didn't do their job in the way they should have done. I find this whole discussion absurd."
Wolff said the new rules were clear to all the teams a long time ago and Mercedes has simply done a better job within the regulations.
"If this is the agenda then we shouldn't talk the sport down as a total. We should say, 'hold on a minute, Mercedes has done a better job, the engine is more efficient or whatever it is', but probably those discussions happen every weekend. The rules are the rules and they were implemented a long time ago, if you want to change the rules you can do it for next year but I don't see it happening.
"We just have to understand what it is the fans don't like. If it's the noise then we have to address the noise. Is it that races have become boring by a team or car dominating? Maybe we have had that phenomenon in the last 20 years. Was it boring when Sebastian [Vettel] won the last nine races? For sure it is more boring if you have somebody who is dominant, and I see that as a fan as well."
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