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Heidfeld: F1 wil be extremely dangerous in 2009
Nick Heidfeld was not amused at the end of Wednesday's test at Jerez after having tested slicks and a 2009-spec aero package in his BMW. The 2009 rules cut downforce by half, and with slicks that are not up to temperature Heidfeld has warned of serious dangers.
Speaking with GPUpdate.net he said about his day of testing: "Today, we ran with the 2009 downforce package, which will be around half as effective as the one we're driving with this season. If the slicks return, they won't give as much grip as you'd expect as we will also lose grip as there is less downforce, so we will be slower in 2009."
"If it will stay like this and the tyres will stay like this, it will be extremely dangerous in 2009," he warned. "On my outlap I even thought about coming back in, because there were so many drivers flying past me. You feel like you're standing still compared to the others and it's very easy to spin the car. It's very, very dangerous."
Heidfeld suggested a better tyre might be the answer for more downforce in 2009 but isn't sure if that is going to happen. "Bridgestone could turn this around by making better tyres, but the question is: does it make sense for them?" Heidfeld said. "If there's another tyre supplier and there is competition, it would be solved. If the tyres become softer, it will help a lot. But I'm not a tyre expert, maybe the mixture of the compound should change, but like this, it will be extremely dangerous. They should change the tyres, or they should allow tyre heaters for 2009."
Next season the FIA will ban traction control on cars to make the races more exciting. But with the aero rules for 2009 and perhaps the return of slicks Heidfeld believes things won't get much easier. "Without traction control it's even worse, but if we would run with traction control (in 2009), it would still be very, very difficult. Even if the tyres are hot, you have so little grip with the new package. We have too much power and too little grip. I don't like it at all," a disappointed Heidfeld said.
Nick Heidfeld was not amused at the end of Wednesday's test at Jerez after having tested slicks and a 2009-spec aero package in his BMW. The 2009 rules cut downforce by half, and with slicks that are not up to temperature Heidfeld has warned of serious dangers.
Speaking with GPUpdate.net he said about his day of testing: "Today, we ran with the 2009 downforce package, which will be around half as effective as the one we're driving with this season. If the slicks return, they won't give as much grip as you'd expect as we will also lose grip as there is less downforce, so we will be slower in 2009."
"If it will stay like this and the tyres will stay like this, it will be extremely dangerous in 2009," he warned. "On my outlap I even thought about coming back in, because there were so many drivers flying past me. You feel like you're standing still compared to the others and it's very easy to spin the car. It's very, very dangerous."
Heidfeld suggested a better tyre might be the answer for more downforce in 2009 but isn't sure if that is going to happen. "Bridgestone could turn this around by making better tyres, but the question is: does it make sense for them?" Heidfeld said. "If there's another tyre supplier and there is competition, it would be solved. If the tyres become softer, it will help a lot. But I'm not a tyre expert, maybe the mixture of the compound should change, but like this, it will be extremely dangerous. They should change the tyres, or they should allow tyre heaters for 2009."
Next season the FIA will ban traction control on cars to make the races more exciting. But with the aero rules for 2009 and perhaps the return of slicks Heidfeld believes things won't get much easier. "Without traction control it's even worse, but if we would run with traction control (in 2009), it would still be very, very difficult. Even if the tyres are hot, you have so little grip with the new package. We have too much power and too little grip. I don't like it at all," a disappointed Heidfeld said.
