‘Shark fins and T-wings ironed out of F1’

Formula 1’s new sporting chief Ross Brawn says over time he wants to see the shark’s fin and T-wings ironed out of the new regulations.

Embracing a host of new aerodynamic regulations ahead of this year’s championship, the teams introduced their 2017 cars with shark fin covers and T-wings, even a double T-wing in Mercedes’ case.

Fans and team personal alike are not entirely happy with the new bits and bobs, and neither is Brawn.

The former Mercedes team boss, who has taken a prominent role in F1’s new hierarchy under Liberty Media, is keen to ensure that in the future these designs are ironed out.

“With the new cars and new rules, we need to see how they perform and what effect that has,” he said in a YouTube interview for Formula1.com.

“I think it is exciting season for the new philosophy, the new ideas.

“As a racing car, it looks more exciting. The general proportions of the car are better.

“They’re much faster; pretty impressive performance. The drivers I have spoken to tell me they are physically challenging, which is what was wanted.

“As always with new regulations, there are a few little hiccups. We’ve got the unpopular shark’s fin on the back and I think in time we need to address those.

“Part of the objective of the new rules was to produce more exciting-looking cars, so we don’t want to spoil it with peripheral bits that take away from that. But that’s normal with new regs.”

As for the T-wings, he added: “Those are all the consequences of new regulations, and are not intended. So I think all the unintended consequences, over time, we need to iron out. And get the things looking a bit more pure.”