Frentzen Expects 'Interesting' Year

Jordan driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen thinks next year will be interesting from a personal and technical point of view, due to the new regulations that Formula One's ruling body, the FIA, is expected to introduce.

The FIA is said to be set to announce the return of traction control at a meeting next month, something that Frentzen believes will allow the governing body to make sure all teams are playing fair.

"There have been several changes to the technical regulations for next year's cars," Frentzen said, "and there is a strong chance that the FIA will agree to a push from the teams to bring back traction control and launch control systems to the cars.

"I am not sure that all of them are for the better, but it will make for an interesting year whatever the outcome.

"Since they were banned a few years ago it has proved almost impossible for the FIA to police. There is little doubt that some teams have been cheating and getting away with it with clever software programs, so the feeling is that if it is allowed, then at least everyone will be playing from the same level."

The now likely introduction of traction control has caused several members of the Formula One paddock to react strongly, and Frentzen agrees with those who think it's a wrong decision from a driving point of view.

"With traction control you simply have to point the car in the right direction and step on the throttle," he said. "It takes most of the skill out of wet weather driving and although it will never turn a bad driver into a good one, it could make him look a lot better than he really is.

"The good drivers will still make a better job of braking or turning into the corners at the right speed, but traction control will make it all the harder to shine."

Frentzen also added that with traction control the cars will not be as enjoyable to drive.

"It will also take a lot of personal satisfaction away from the race for me, for a really good start will become nothing special any more. Now it will be down to simple reaction times as the lights go out."

The matter will be discussed at the meeting of the Formula One Commission in Monaco on December 7.