'F1 can balance technology and entertainment'

FIA Technical Director Gilles Simon is of the opinion that technological developments and thrilling races do not need to sit in opposition to each other, and believes the sport can still retain excitement as the cars evolve over time.

The number of overtaking manoeuvres that took place in 2017 was drastically reduced and fans have pointed at various car changes as the primary reason, with more alterations incoming in the season ahead.

But Simon feels that technology can help enhance the experience for fans, and hopes that in the next few years the two can complement the development of the sport.

He said to Racecar Engineering: "I don’t feel that entertainment and technology are against each other. As a promoter in any of our championships, they want the championship to be interesting to the last minute, to be spectacular and provide a good show.

"This is the best way to catch fans and keep them interested, and is generally the case for all sport and all entertainment. What is specific to motorsport is that there is a motor, so you have already technology there. Part of the fan interest is about the cars. It is about the fight, but it is also the beauty of these cars.

"It is about having spectacular and fast cars, and also anyone of us looking at any kind of race, it is about the engineering of these cars. Why is this one faster, and behaving like this? Part of the show is due to the technology. There is no antagonism between technology and entertainment, there is just balance for each championship.

Simon added that the key is balancing the associated costs with maintaining a competitive element to events, saying:"The costs have to remain in a window that is acceptable.

"The issue is probably more to have a sustainable model in each formula of motorsport, so to understand what kind of budget makes sense in F1, endurance, GT or touring cars, once you define this, you have to identify the technology within this window."