2021 rule changes "a big opportunity" to hit reset button

With the Formula 1 set to make big rule changes in 2021, Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok believes it could be a big opportunity for the sport to hit the reset button and tackle issues like the lack of overtaking and unpredictability.

The current era of regulations, the V6 hybrid-turbo era, has been dominated by Mercedes, with the Silver Arrows winning every single championship since the era began back in 2014. Especially Lewis Hamilton has profited from the changes, as the Brit has won four titles in five years.

F1 owners Liberty Media and motorsports director Ross Brawn have underlined the need for a big overhaul of the rules to improve the sport as a product. In 2021, major changes will likely include simpler, louder (and therefore cheaper) engines as well as a cap on a team's budget, in an attempt to bring the field closer together.

Chandhok, a former F1 driver and current pundit, thinks 2021 is a big turning point for the sport's long-term future.

“2021 is a great opportunity for F1, now whether they use that opportunity is yet to be seen," he told Crash.net at the Autosport International Show.

“We haven’t yet seen any concrete rules for 2021. There’s lots of rumours and talk but nothing truly established yet, so let’s wait and see.

“Hopefully they will take the opportunity to make a big reset. It really needs somebody from F1 or Liberty to really grab the bull by the horns and say ‘look, we’re going to make the sport better, we’re going to make the racing better and the cars less complicated’ and just commit to it. If they can, then it’s great for everyone watching.”

Sounds, as mentioned before, is a topic Liberty Media wants to address. Fans, drivers and teams alike all agree F1 is missing something on that part, with the V6 engines not sounding nearly as good as the previous V8 and V10 era's.

“Anyone who is a fan of the sport understands why the noise of the cars is so important. It’s a very emotive thing.

“I used to live in Brackley, six miles from Silverstone, and I could hear the F1 tests and I would jump in my car to Silverstone to stand on the grass bank and watch the test because I am a fan of the sport. I think that’s missing a bit now.”