Mixed reviews of Strategy Group meeting

Mixed reports have come out of the F1 Strategy Group meeting with teams still working to their own agendas, rather than working the sport as a whole.

In the Team Principals press conference in Monaco on Thursday, each of the team bosses present in the meeting, Red Bull’s Christian Horner, Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Force India’s Bob Fernley look to have different outlooks from a works team an independent outfit.

When asked what their opinions of the meeting, Christian Horner was the first to answer: “Well, as you know, we’re not supposed to talk about the content of these meetings and referring to the press release it was a very positive meeting and lots of good things talked about for 2017. There was obviously a large amount of discussion about the future and about current issues.

“I think there is positive work going on regarding the 2017 chassis. There were debates about refueling, whether that should be reintroduced or not. Differing opinions on that.

“It was a constructive meeting. I wouldn’t say that we nailed down a whole load of decisions out of it, but certainly a lot of discussion about the relevant topics at this point in time.”

As a manufacturer Mercedes boss Toro Wolff agreed with Horner, which revoloves around making the sport more exciting, “There’s not a lot to add to what Christian said. It was a good meeting in relation to the 2017 regs.

“We all agree that we want to reintroduce quicker cars, get the lap times down by five to six seconds. Make it more of a driver formula, maybe get rid of the electronic start procedures, go back to more conventional clutches.

“Refuelling was discussed, with many various opinions. But we all agreed that this is what should be happening, so it was good.

Force India deputy Team Principal Bob Fernley disagreed with the others, with the team looking for cost cutting measures which look to have been skimmed over, he said, “I must have been at a different meeting. I don’t think it was a good meeting at all.

“After 18 months I think we failed totally to agree on any form of cost control. There’s absolutely no way there is going to be any equitable distribution of income.

“Power units are going to remain the same. And whilst I agree that there were some good discussions on 2017, the fundamentals of Formula One weren’t addressed at all.”

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