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Brundle: Active suspension would be like 'Scalextric'

Nigel Mansell won the 1992 drivers' title at a canter with active suspension © Sutton Images

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Martin Brundle believes the Strategy Group's proposed plan to reintroduce active suspension in 2017 would make the sport resemble dull "Scalextric" races.

Active suspension, which keeps the ride height of a car level at all times despite the bumps of a grand prix circuit, maximising grip and efficiency, has been banned since the start of the 1994 season but is part of the recent F1 Strategy Group proposals in a bid to reduce expenditure without resorting to a cost cap. But Sky Sports F1 pundit Brundle is not sure it would be good for fans watching the sport.

"My concern would be that we'd go back to cars that look like Scalextric cars - glued to the track," Brundle told AUTOSPORT. "It's the best of everything - kerb control, ride control, bumps, aero - you just fly the car at the perfect angle."

While active suspension would fall under the sporting and technical regulations aimed at reducing costs, Brundle , who helped develop the active suspension on Williams' title-winning 1992 and 1993 cars, remains unconvinced it would be any less expensive.

"How the hell it would save any money I don't know because you'd have to start over again. You'd have to completely redesign your car I would have thought, given that huge advantage."

"I'd have thought it would just open up a whole new avenue of development and opportunity. The cars might follow each other better from getting more downforce from the underfloor than the upper surfaces. But I can't see it being anything other than hugely expensive."

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