Heidfeld not a ‘fan’ of the rear wing

Nick Heidfeld admits he is not fond of the adjustable rear wing as he doesn’t “particularly like things which artificially aim to improve racing…

Renault’s Nick Heidfeld admits he is not fond of F1 drivers’ latest toy, the adjustable rear wing, as he doesn’t “particularly like things which artificially aim to improve racing”.

The Drag Reduction System (DRS), which allows chasing drivers to enjoy greater speeds, was introduced this year to improve overtaking and it has certainly had the desired effect as there have been almost 150 passing moves in the first three races of the season.

Some drivers like Nico Rosberg love it. The German described the rear wing as the “best idea ever probably for this sport”.

However, his compatriot Heidfeld doesn’t share his sentiments, but he is impressed with the Pirelli tyres.

“I think it’s all working fine and going to plan, even though I’m not a fan of the rear wing because I don’t particularly like things which artificially aim to improve racing,” Heidfeld said.

“The biggest difference is the tyres. With the rear wing active and the car in front having similar tyres, overtaking might still be difficult which is exactly as what was planned with DRS, however if you have fresher tyres it might be much easier to overtake. I think we’ve seen far more overtaking than in the past.”