Zürcher Nachrichten - Mercedes and Red Bull could be playing catch-up in new F1 season: Brawn

EUR -
AED 3.861943
AFN 70.969159
ALL 98.467407
AMD 423.264939
ANG 1.896297
AOA 961.017524
ARS 1064.337203
AUD 1.632788
AWG 1.892595
AZN 1.782629
BAM 1.958877
BBD 2.124437
BDT 125.728713
BGN 1.954262
BHD 0.396401
BIF 3043.923981
BMD 1.051442
BND 1.41651
BOB 7.270422
BRL 6.349867
BSD 1.052153
BTN 89.170933
BWP 14.373717
BYN 3.442785
BYR 20608.259075
BZD 2.120832
CAD 1.478806
CDF 3018.68982
CHF 0.92978
CLF 0.037161
CLP 1025.397406
CNY 7.637987
CNH 7.652966
COP 4655.258523
CRC 534.144208
CUC 1.051442
CUP 27.863207
CVE 110.664392
CZK 25.16878
DJF 186.862036
DKK 7.4583
DOP 63.559752
DZD 140.72657
EGP 52.371583
ERN 15.771627
ETB 131.430083
FJD 2.421103
FKP 0.829921
GBP 0.827724
GEL 2.98628
GGP 0.829921
GHS 15.781819
GIP 0.829921
GMD 75.175039
GNF 9063.428281
GTQ 8.121836
GYD 220.125812
HKD 8.184601
HNL 26.549039
HRK 7.500207
HTG 137.857883
HUF 413.353677
IDR 16715.716426
ILS 3.804689
IMP 0.829921
INR 89.074155
IQD 1377.388744
IRR 44252.619632
ISK 145.456441
JEP 0.829921
JMD 165.625707
JOD 0.745579
JPY 158.290337
KES 136.165664
KGS 91.25835
KHR 4237.310182
KMF 492.337655
KPW 946.297212
KRW 1485.434428
KWD 0.323382
KYD 0.876786
KZT 552.863794
LAK 23066.002883
LBP 94156.611849
LKR 305.550012
LRD 188.208075
LSL 19.083646
LTL 3.104634
LVL 0.636007
LYD 5.141869
MAD 10.46316
MDL 19.265449
MGA 4931.261717
MKD 61.525105
MMK 3415.041918
MNT 3572.799144
MOP 8.436654
MRU 41.947285
MUR 49.070855
MVR 16.185232
MWK 1827.406076
MXN 21.336204
MYR 4.681546
MZN 67.192886
NAD 19.08359
NGN 1711.810708
NIO 38.640157
NOK 11.619699
NPR 142.673494
NZD 1.794285
OMR 0.404799
PAB 1.052153
PEN 3.931351
PGK 4.245706
PHP 61.159208
PKR 292.090766
PLN 4.279631
PYG 8208.895977
QAR 3.828142
RON 4.977099
RSD 116.964518
RUB 110.401463
RWF 1456.246879
SAR 3.950875
SBD 8.800063
SCR 15.798952
SDG 632.441908
SEK 11.480604
SGD 1.412824
SHP 0.829921
SLE 24.025529
SLL 22048.213586
SOS 600.906571
SRD 37.22631
STD 21762.722191
SVC 9.206463
SYP 2641.77889
SZL 19.083352
THB 36.02282
TJS 11.484241
TMT 3.690561
TND 3.326787
TOP 2.462585
TRY 36.512078
TTD 7.13728
TWD 34.085957
TZS 2765.291573
UAH 43.818396
UGX 3872.082948
USD 1.051442
UYU 45.431372
UZS 13495.25567
VES 50.530709
VND 26717.135873
VUV 124.829282
WST 2.935195
XAF 656.995372
XAG 0.033582
XAU 0.000397
XCD 2.841574
XDR 0.800135
XOF 655.048329
XPF 119.331742
YER 263.280837
ZAR 19.107662
ZMK 9464.235024
ZMW 28.486752
ZWL 338.563827
  • RBGPF

    -1.0000

    61

    -1.64%

  • CMSC

    0.0000

    24.56

    0%

  • SCS

    0.1100

    13.63

    +0.81%

  • GSK

    -0.5000

    34.4

    -1.45%

  • CMSD

    0.0400

    24.35

    +0.16%

  • BCC

    0.4700

    146.9

    +0.32%

  • RIO

    -0.1200

    63.39

    -0.19%

  • NGG

    -0.8000

    62.17

    -1.29%

  • BTI

    0.1600

    37.19

    +0.43%

  • RELX

    0.4900

    47.97

    +1.02%

  • BCE

    -0.4700

    26.84

    -1.75%

  • RYCEF

    0.1100

    7.55

    +1.46%

  • VOD

    -0.0700

    8.76

    -0.8%

  • AZN

    -1.2700

    66.78

    -1.9%

  • JRI

    -0.1200

    13.42

    -0.89%

  • BP

    -0.3200

    29.13

    -1.1%

Mercedes and Red Bull could be playing catch-up in new F1 season: Brawn
Mercedes and Red Bull could be playing catch-up in new F1 season: Brawn

Mercedes and Red Bull could be playing catch-up in new F1 season: Brawn

Formula One managing director Ross Brawn believes Mercedes and Red Bull could be off the pace when the new season starts next month after they were caught up in last year's "intense" world championship battle.

Text size:

Lewis Hamilton was poised to capture a record-breaking eighth world title at the Abu Dhabi finale in December before a controversial safety car restart allowed Dutch driver Max Verstappen to pass his British rival on the last lap.

Brawn, who has spearheaded a major overhaul of the sport's technical regulations, said Mercedes -- winners of the past eight constructors' championships -- and Red Bull might have taken their eyes off the ball.

Jenson Button profited in 2009 when Brawn GP took advantage of a regulation change, winning six of the opening seven races on his way to the title.

Hamilton was the defending champion at the time but his McLaren team endured a torrid campaign and he recorded just two victories.

The budget cap for the forthcoming year also restricts teams to spending $140 million (£103 million).

"Mercedes and Red Bull could be impacted," said Brawn. "Last year, human resources were devoted to fighting a very intense world championship. Some of the teams further back didn't have that consideration.

"If I had been Ferrari or McLaren in the very early part of last year, I would have put everything into the 2022 car.

"That is what happened in 2009. The year before there was a big battle between Ferrari and McLaren and they fell flat on their faces. I don't think it will be that severe but is a good point.

"A team has to balance its financial resources each season, too, and you cannot simply throw money at it. That is what teams with deep pockets did in the past. It will provide us with a more competitive field for the future."

Brawn described 2021 as a "great season" between two drivers and two teams but said he wanted to see more teams in the mix.

"I don't think the regulations will change the general order dramatically -- the good teams will always do a good job -- but it will bring the field closer," he said.

"We are blessed with a number of great drivers -- McLaren's Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at Ferrari and George Russell moving to Mercedes -- so if there are three or four drivers in the mix for the title than that is even better."

Hamilton, 37, will speak in public for the first time since his title defeat in Abu Dhabi when he appears at Mercedes' Silverstone car launch on Friday.

The seven-time world champion is set to drive his new Silver Arrows at the opening test in Barcelona next week ahead of the first race in Bahrain on March 20.

I.Widmer--NZN