Ross Brawn has warned Red Bull and Mercedes they could be negatively impacted by having fought to the wire in last year’s championship.
The 2022 Formula 1 season gets under way with testing in Barcelona next week after one of the biggest regulation changes in its history.
And with both teams having pushed their resources all the way to the season finale in Abu Dhabi in the constructors’ and drivers’ championship, Formula 1 managing director Brawn warned both teams could feel the pinch.
“I think they could be impacted,” he said. “It’s your people and the fact you’ve got your human resources devoted to fighting a very intense world championship.
“Some of the teams are a little further back and not had that consideration. But I suspect both of them are very sensible in their approach for balance in 2021 and 2022.”
Brawn drew parallels to the end of the 2008, which ended with Lewis Hamilton winning a first drivers’ title and Ferrari the constructors’ championship, and 2009 when Brawn’s eponymous Formula 1 team dominated the early part of the season after the last major regulations overhaul.
“In 2008, there was a big battle between two teams and they rather fell on their faces in 2009,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll be that severe.”
The drastic regulation overhaul has been aimed at helping to cut costs but also primarily to improve overtaking and the show for spectators.
The shake-up ironically comes off the back of the most thrilling title fight in years which went down to the final lap of the year with Max Vestappen pipping Hamilton to the title.
Despite that, Brawn said: “I think 2021 was a great season between two drivers. We only really had two drivers in the world championships. It was a great season of entertainment but we would really like to see more teams in that battle. We had a fantastic season last season but the last seven or eight years been dominated by Mercedes.
“I don’t think the regulations will change the general order of things dramatically but it will bring it a lot closer. I think we’ll see some of what were midfield teams challenging, I think a bigger group of competitive teams. If we have three or four mixing it up, even better. I’m optimistic about the coming season.
“Formula 1’s in a great place but this is a great step. I think we’re going to be in a far better place going forward. There’s lot of optimism for this season. I think we’ll see some interesting results.”
