Ex-Formula One driver and 2015 WEC driver’s champion Mark Webber believes that Red Bull Racing will edge ahead of Mercedes during 2017’s F1 season.
During an interview with Motoring at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Webber said that the comprehensive rule changes for 2017 will shake up the sport’s hierarchy, giving RBR the chance to steam ahead of Mercedes, a team which has dominated the last three years.
“I think Red Bull have had a very quiet winter and I think they’ll be very strong. It really depends on who unlocks this new regulation, and traditionally Adrian [Newey] has been very good at that.
“Mercedes have had the luxury of closing out a championship very early, so that means you’ve got a big chance to put your resources onto the year after program earlier than anyone else, potentially. So they have a very good engine, we know that, that’s their main strength.
“But operationally Red Bull were the best team last year. Reliability they were the best team. Mercedes still had some technical challenges. So when it’s down to the fine points Red Bell are very good at that,” he said.
In a bid to make the sport more exciting, 2017 will see a number of regulation changes. Most notably, the cars will be fitted with wider tires and generate more aerodynamic downforce than recent years. It is hoped that lap times could fall by 3 seconds a lap and Webber believes that Red Bull’s always exceptional chassis could exploit the downforce increases the best.
The season kicks off on March 26 in Melbourne.
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