Lauda slams Formula 1's electronic age

Following final confirmation from motorsport's governing body, the FIA, last week, the use of certain driver aids, including traction control and fully-automatic gearboxes, will be permitted from the Spanish Grand Prix in April. But Lauda says the increasing levels of technology are detracting from the skill of the driver.

"We have to reduce the technical bull. Traction control is a joke," said Lauda. "Schumacher is an exception, sure, but all drivers can drive quick. We know this. The problem is they don't have to worry about the other things like brakes, gears, revs etc. All this has been taken care of. It's all automatic now."

Driver aids were banned at the end of 1993, but due to the difficulty of policing traction control, the FIA has allowed its return this year. Echoing Lauda's views, there have also been concerns raised by several current drivers that although the return of such devices creates a level playing along the pitlane, their own talents will play an increasingly minor role.

"I could drive these cars," continued Lauda, who retired from F1 at the end of 1985. "You just put down the throttle and away you go. The only thing you have to worry about is how hard to brake, but any fool can work that out. When they [the cars] lock-up and smoke comes into the cockpit, you just go a little easier next time. Simple."

Accompanying traction control's return comes a string of safety measures, such as automatic speed limiting, that the FIA plans to introduce next year in the hope that they will feature on road cars in the future. However, Lauda believes the technology should start with road cars and stay there.

"All these technological developments are good for the road car industry, but not for Formula 1," said the triple world champion. "The question is what do we want F1 to be? Development for road cars or proper racing?"

Lauda's colleague, Jaguar Racing CEO Bobby Rahal maintains that it is the fact that Formula 1 is so technological that makes it so appealing. The competition is as much between the teams as it is between the drivers.

"The engineering [in Formula 1] is so sophisticated because the rules allow it. If you want to compete you have to go with it. But if F1 is about entertainment you have to get rid of 90 per cent of the technology. It is no longer a pure test to find out who the best driver is."

Teams spent much of the winter working on traction control systems, well before its return was rubber-stamped and Lauda concedes: "If [Formula 1] is supposed to be technically sophisticated, then you have to keep going down the line..."