Formula 1 drivers remain unconvinced that planned changes for 2017 will improve the racing, instead they believe the plans to increase downforce could have the opposite effect.
The rule changes have already been agreed and signed-off for next season, but that hasn't stopped some parties from voicing their concern, particularly Mercedes, with motorsport boss Toto Wolff calling for a rethink.
Increased levels of downforce through wider and lower wings will make it harder to follow a car, but it's hoped that wider tyres and therefore greater mechnical grip will counteract that to some extent.
Speaking on Thursday, the drivers gave their opinion with the majority agreeing with Wolff's assessment.
"Our [Mercedes] opinion was that it’s not the right direction to go and we were hoping that they would definitely re-look into it and just make sure from a technical point of view to double check," said championship leader Nico Rosberg.
"Now this is the way it is, so now all we can do is accept it and make the most of it and hope that there are going to be some surprises. Maybe we’re going to love the cars and enjoy driving them even more than we are now. Maybe all the grip is going to feel great or whatever. Now it’s just accept it and make the most of it."
Sergio Perez believes the sport should prioritise competition over downforce: "I really hope that the sport goes in the right direction, that we can see more competition, closer teams as we’ve seen in the past.
"We’ve seen big gaps between the teams in the past. I really hope that we can have a much closer field and that the regulations and the direction we’re going in cannot create those sort of gaps, that we can close up the gaps.
"In my opinion it’s what F1 needs, it needs more competition rather than more downforce, it needs more competition across the teams."
Haas driver Esteban Gutierrez added: "[What] I’m not fully convinced about is obviously the increase in downforce which will naturally make overtaking more difficult or let’s say following a car more difficult."
Sauber's Felipe Nasr concurred: "I think that from a driver’s point of view, I think the mechanical grip will be such a good thing for us drivers to have it back, as I think we are all pretty much leaning in that… trying to get this back in the car but I agree with the others, what they are saying about the downforce, is it exactly what is going to improve the show? We don’t know but let’s hope for the best."
However one driver bucked the trend, with Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat welcoming the late changes, suggesting a lack of time to prepare could in fact see the grid become closer next year.
"Maybe it’s going to make it interesting because obviously for 2014 the regulations, everyone knew quite well in advance how the regulations were going to be, so some people could be better prepared for it, but now I think, as time to prepare is a bit limited, I think everyone might start in a very similar condition, which could lead to closer racing perhaps.
"All the teams might be much closer and yeah, I think downforce, generated in the right way and mechanical grip from the tyres could be an interesting combination, also for racing, for us drivers to really reach some incredible speeds would really be quite cool."
