Former F1 champion in surprise take over safety improvements

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Former F1 champion in surprise take over safety improvements

Jacques Villenueve has criticised impact of safety measures on competition

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 2 May 2024 12:57

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A Formula 1 legend has claimed that enhanced safety regulations have had some drawbacks in the sport – although he clarified that they have been a net positive.

Dialogue between F1 bosses, drivers and teams to improve safety is an ongoing process, with the protection of those most involved in the action continuing to be of the utmost importance.

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The introduction of new rules and regulations designed to achieve this is nothing new, but fresh criticisms have emerged over whether or not these are in fact having a negative effect on the competition.

Former world champion Jacques Villenueve believes the sport is worse off given the precautions now in place to protect drivers.

Jacques Villenueve previously enjoyed a stellar career in F1

Bosses are continually striving to improve driver safety

Villenueve: F1 has lost something

Speaking to Canadian betting website casinonlinein.com, Villenueve said: "It has [lost something].

"The safety of cars now allows average drivers to be competitive - they don’t need to really feel where the limit or the edge is.

"They get trained on the simulator, they get on the track and just repeat it without really knowing how close to the danger zone they could be.

"They don’t have to respect it. You used to have to go through a corner multiple times to get the feel. That kind of thing has gone now."

The 11-time Grand Prix winner did concede, however, that the overall spectacle has greatly improved since his days on the grid.

"The sport has never been as good as it is now", he added: "You can’t reminisce and think the past was amazing. It wasn’t amazing. It is just our memory of it that is amazing.

“There’s good in modern F1 as well.”

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