Niki Lauda is the latest world champion to openly criticise the current formula.

In the wake of calls from Nigel Mansell and Kimi Raikkonen that contemporary F1 is too safe and relies on gimmicks, Niki Lauda has become the latest world champion to publicly criticise the sport.

There's too much control, too many rules and no more characters," the Austrian lamented to Bild am Sonntag.

"I'm not saying that we should neglect safety," he continued, "but if the cars were faster, the thrill for the drivers and the spectators would automatically increase.

"You cannot turn back the clock," he admitted, "but the driver should have the car in his grasp, not as now where he is just pushing buttons. It should be about drivers with the highest driving skills… and I emphasize driving skills.

"Any kind of manipulation is the worst thing you can do to a sport," he concluded. "This must not happen."

Lauda, who was so badly injured in a crash at the Nurburgring in 1976 that he was given the last rights, has always been one of the sport's most outspoken participants. The fact that other drivers, world champions, are now voicing their opinions should cause the sport's powers-that-be to take notice, but are they listening?

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by karel, 17/06/2015 5:54

"Words from a 'real' champion, I couldn't agree more the sport is as good as dead. Maybe start an open formula just limited to engine size fe 3l and no electronics. Retire BE and have some formal real champions on the table"

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2. Posted by mr60, 16/06/2015 18:15

"Agree with emphasizing DRIVING the car. Sure, make them faster. To really improve the show:
1. Make them slide around a bit more, not so stuck to the road.
2. increase breaking distance. (more passing and more room to differentiate between cars/drivers)
3. reduce impact of turbulence behind cars.
This would increase passing and fighting between cars. To accomplish this, reduce allowed aerodynamic devices. like front and rear wings. Come up with rules that allow reducing drag but greatly eliminate aero downforce. Relay on mechanical grip."

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3. Posted by Paul C, 15/06/2015 23:58

"If you got rid of most of the chicanes and just let the drivers drive, F1 would be better even with the hybrid F1 cars. New rule suggestion: Ban engineers from slowing down their drivers with advisories about fuel, tires and engines. Throw out the component limits, too. Four or five of everything in the power unit doesn't encourage competition or just racing from the back of the pack."

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4. Posted by testa rossa, 15/06/2015 22:49

"so start with removing all the chicanes from the tracks which have been built to bring the speed down."

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5. Posted by danielmb, 15/06/2015 21:41

"If there is such a consensus that restrictive rules need to be changed or eliminated, then why is this not happening? Neither the teams, the drivers nor the fans are happy with the current "formula". Presumably, the technical regulations have been designed in an attempt to level the playing field in terms of cost, thereby allowing some of the independent and less well funded teams to be more competitive. My guess is that team budgets in F1 have not come down at all. If they have, it is likely that revenues have dropped faster then budgets given the lackluster experience from the race fans perspective.

For 4 years we tuned in each race to watch Sebastian Vettel win. For the last year and a half we have tuned in to see Lewis Hamilton win. How can the championship race for the driver or constructor be meaningful without any competition? It certainly provides no meaning or excitement for the fans.

Formula 1 has long been regarded as the pinnacle of automotive racing. In watching Le Mans over the weekend, it is becoming apparent the F1 may soon have a challenger in the WEC and/or the Tudor Championship for that top spot!"

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6. Posted by TheBucketOfTruth, 15/06/2015 19:30

"I'm excited for real change to the sport. Haven't enough high profile figures come out to say this yet?"

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Lauda: F1 cars should be faster

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