“Red Bull’s domination won’t last, the others are copying it” – Corriere.it

In Canada, this weekend, Ferrari is trying to raise its head again (Here where to see the Montreal GP), Red Bull instead is the favorite for the eighth straight victory in the eighth GP of the year. Nicholas Tombazis, director of “single seater”, that is, of all the single-seater championships, a former Ferrari driver, is one of the most powerful men in the FIA. He deals with the present and future of the regulations, technical and sporting, the president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has given him extensive tasks.

The FIA ​​recently changed its command structure, why?

«To modernize the facility, creating space for a CEO (Natalie Robyn ed). To bring together aspects related to mobility and sport. And to bring financial discipline. Then there was our department, which hadn’t had a single manager since Charlie Whiting’s death.’

A lot of news also in the direction of the race in these years. But there is still a lot to do, what?

«We have strengthened this area with the arrival of Steve Nielsen (sports director, coming from Liberty Media ed). We decided to have only one race director (Niels Wittich ed) to have more consistency in decisions, a complicated issue. For us, for the riders and the teams, there is a need for harmony and certainty».

Remote Operations Center, a kind of Var, has been introduced to help you remotely. Is it really needed?

«It was one of the issues on which the new president of the FIA ​​pushed the most. The “remote garage” assists us from Geneva, where some people are in constant contact with the race director. And at the same time we need it to train new personnel».

Speaking of consistency, why not use the same stewards for all races?

“There are good reasons not to. The stewards are independent from the FIA, consequently if they were always the same they would have to become our employees. And you would lose external control over our work.”

The ground effect F1 had to bring more balance. And instead there is a team that dominates. Has the objective of the new regulation failed?

«Apart from Red Bull, all the others are close. But I think it’s only a matter of time, the convergence of performance will soon be achieved».

How soon?

“In the next few months, maybe early next year.”

Why do you think so?

«Almost everyone is going towards the technical concept of Red Bull, even Mercedes and Ferrari. We hope to see hard-fought World Cups again, perhaps like in 2021. But we cannot create them artificially”.

What do you mean?

We cannot go against the ability of some to do a better job than others. We have to admit it, with these rules there are those who have been better at it».

The upcoming 2026 rules attract major manufacturers: Audi, Ford, Honda. What should we expect?

«We have increased the electrical capacity of the engines, it was not easy to give up a technological jewel such as the Mgu-h, the unit that recovers the exhaust gases from the turbo. But if we had left him there would have been two manufacturers left in F1. The increase in the power of the electric motor and the introduction of sustainable petrol, these two elements lead to a reduction in the environmental impact of 70%. And that’s just the first step.”

In terms of chassis and aerodynamics, what will the next F1 be like?

«The rules will be defined by June 2024. There will be a significant reduction in aerodynamic drag. The current F1s have an invisible “parachute” on the straight, we also want to remove it for environmental consistency».

As?

“By reducing air resistance, the single-seaters will perhaps have some moving elements, this will help on the straights.”

Is it conceivable to abolish the DRS, the mobile wing?

«In an ideal world yes, but it won’t happen in the short term because otherwise overtaking would become very difficult. We are no longer in the eighties, when the simulations weren’t so advanced and the differences between one car and another were great. With the current level of technology, of science, removing the DRS would be a risk for the sport”.

Many faces have changed in Ferrari but it hasn’t been won, what do you think as an ex?

«I do not allow myself to criticize or go into details. It’s easy to talk from the outside while inside they have enormous pressure. Ferrari has a capable team and everything it takes to win, they are taking the right steps, but the others are not waiting.”

Red Bull dominates because they have Adrian Newey?

«Without taking anything away from Adrian, who is a genius, there is a large group behind it. In this F1 you don’t win thanks to just one man».

The first GP you saw live?

«Hockenheim 1979, I was 11 years old. I supported Lauda, ​​but he didn’t win».

The best memory of your F1 career?

«Winning the World Championship with Ferrari, Raikkonen in Brazil in 2007. Unforgettable».