Hamilton & Vettel fume at plans to slow F1 cars

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have slammed plans to make Formula 1 cars slower in an attempt to boost overtaking in the 2019 season. Changes to front wing regulations have been approved for next season, although it is expected to make cars over a second slower per lap.

Hamilton and Vettel were speaking after qualifying in the top three for the Spanish Grand Prix, each driver breaking the lap record at the Circuit de Catalunya numerous times throughout a thrilling Saturday session.

Such record-breaking feats are unlikely to be replicated next season, however, as cars have downforce stripped away from them.

READ MORE: Hamilton smashes lap record, takes Barcelona pole
READ MORE: F1 'shooting itself in the foot' - Horner

Red Bull chief Christian Horner has already skewered the plans, saying F1 was "shooting itself in the foot" and the two four-time world champions echoed those sentiments on Saturday.

Hamilton said: "I think in the sport and in technology we're developing and moving forwards all the time to pull us back.

"I don't think if that's a particularly… it's not going to make any difference if you make it… if you make us three seconds slower or a second and a half slower, it's not going to make the racing any better and we just want to go faster, we want to improve technology, we want to push the boundaries and the limits.

"One of the exciting things this year has been that we are breaking records.

"It's incredible the technology we have and what we're doing with it. We should be at least as fast as we are this year but just making racing better. In my personal opinion."

Vettel was in total agreement with his championship rival, adding: "I find it a bit comical.

"In 2009 we went, let's go less aerodynamics and better racing and so on? In fact I think it didn't change too much.

"Then we said the cars are too slow, let's put more aerodynamics and make them wider, more spectacular.

"All the drivers' feedback was thank you very much, spectacular, that's what we would like, more challenging, you see us more exhausted after the race, and now we want to make them slower again. It's a bit like cruising to America and changing direction 100 times.

"I think you should ask us what we need to overtake."

Hamilton agreed: "We should make the decisions."