Carlos Sainz wants the FIA to reduce car weight in future
Asked about the 2kg increase in car weight, Carlos Sainz hopes that the FIA and the teams will take into account the drivers' desire for lighter cars in future years, rather than the other way round.
Next year, Formula 1 cars will gain a little weight: 2 kg, to be precise. The FIA has made this decision to improve the safety of the drivers, but it does not please some, who see their car getting heavier every year.
This is particularly the case for Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard explained that although two kilos may not seem significant, the progressive addition of weight over the years becomes a problem. The problem arises when you start adding two kilos on top of another two, then another two, and so on, said Sainz. He emphasized that current cars, weighing 800 kilos, are much heavier than the older ones that weighed around 600 kilos.
However, the Ferrari driver also acknowledged that this additional weight has helped improve the safety of the cars through reinforced impact structures. “I want this safety to be as high as possible,” he added. Despite this, he expressed the common desire among drivers to reduce the weight of the cars. “Everything we can do to reduce the weight, I think every driver here will appreciate it.”
Sympathy for great pilots
Interrogated about the challenges of achieving the weight goals set by the teams, Sainz mentioned that he personally did not have any issues, but had to monitor his muscle mass and diet. He expressed sympathy for taller drivers like George Russell and Esteban Ocon, stating that he would not be very happy if I were 180 centimeters tall.
Daniel Ricciardo added that the freedom to train without fearing to exceed the weight limit is beneficial for the drivers. He explained that taller drivers cannot control their height, and that the new rules bring a certain freedom in their physical preparation. “It’s nice to have the freedom to be the athletes we need to be and not to say ‘oh, we have to be careful, we can’t do too much strength training,'” he said.
The Australian also mentioned the injustice for taller drivers who sometimes have to go as far as dehydrating themselves to reach the weight limit. « It’s unfair if they have to dehydrate themselves just to reach the weight, so to speak », he concluded.
