FIA confident of winning over Max Verstappen and F1 'superstars' as contentious new rules debut loom

The FIA has no doubt the likes of Max Verstappen and his fellow F1 "superstars" will eventually be won over by the biggest rules change in F1 history once they become accustomed to the style of racing.

When the FIA first proposed a shift to a 50-50 split between combustion and electrical power in 2023, it drew stern criticism from the likes of four-time F1 champion Verstappen initially, who described them as "terrible", and that F1 would be "drawn into an ICE competition...whoever has the strongest engine will have a big benefit".

Last season, when questioned at various stages, the drivers were far from complimentary following simulator sessions. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, for instance, described it as "not the most enjoyable car" he had driven, whilst Williams' Carlos Sainz said it was "very complicated".

The drivers will be mentally tested as they manage the battery levels around a lap, knowing when to deploy and when to hold back, particularly if the battery depletes on long straights, as is the suspicion.

Asked by RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview whether comments such as those from Verstappen were taken on board, FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis said: "Yes, we do take a lot of the comments on board.

"We do have a lot of discussions with the drivers. Ultimately, they are the superstars of the sport.

"That said, we also have to take a lot of factors into consideration - the fan experience, the participating manufacturers, we need to keep costs under control, to look after safety, of course, and we need to look after environmental factors.

"So the parameters are not just the drivers. We need to speak to a lot of people. In addition, not everybody who votes in various rule changes always has the same view.

"That's why we have a voting system, and sometimes with a voting structure, it is quite challenging to get changes, even if we all believe a certain change should be made.

"So I think we do take [driver comments] into account, but drivers are inherently conservative. They get used to driving certain things, and they may not immediately want to change something.

"I'm sure that when they first go in a car, it will feel different, and they will get the sense of familiarity they've had for the last five years.

"I'm sure we will get there, and we will keep speaking with them."

As to whether he felt they would be won over in the end, Tombazis replied: "More than just the end. Hopefully, a bit earlier than that."