Ross Brawn calls for a simpler and more competitive Formula One

24 January 2017 05:23

Ross Brawn has called for a simpler and more competitive Formula One on his return to the sport.

Brawn, who masterminded Michael Schumacher's unprecedented run of success at Benetton and then Ferrari, brings to an end a three-year hiatus from the grid after being hired by new chairman Chase Carey.

American Carey was installed as Formula One's new ringmaster on Monday night after Bernie Ecclestone, 86, was forced to step down following Liberty Media's £6.4billion acquisition of the sport.

Carey moved to hire Brawn who will head up the technical running of the sport. Sean Bratches, formerly of ESPN, will look after the commercial side.

But 62-year-old Englishman Brawn, who left Mercedes in 2013, believes the sport is now too complex.

"I think simplicity is a key objective for the future," Brawn told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I've watched F1 for the last few years as a spectator, and there are times where even I haven't been sure what's been going on in the race.

"It's a great sport, it's a fabulous combination of the drivers and their personalities, their competition, and then the cars and the whole thing. We just need to look at it and see how we are able to improve the show."

Brawn, who oversaw Schumacher's five championship triumphs with Ferrari at the turn of the century, also wants to provide greater competition for Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team.

Mercedes have won three consecutive driver and team titles and will start the new season as favourites to continue their incredible run of success.

"I think the fans want racing, and we haven't seen too much of that lately," Brawn added.

"We've seen a great competition between two drivers in the same team for the last few years, and that's no fault of Mercedes as they've done a fabulous job.

"There's different types of fans of course, and this is where the complication comes. There are fans who come to the races, there's the fans who watch on TV, there's the fans who watch through other media. It's finding a balance between all of those requirements.

"We want the race, for instance, to be as big a show as we can make it, so when you come to a race for a weekend, you're entertained from beginning to end."

Source: PA