Mosley dismisses safety concerns

A major overhaul of aerodynamic, engine and tyre regulations have been introduced this year as part of a crusade to cut speeds in the wake of several major accidents during 2004.

But the move has been controversial, with several teams unhappy at what has been introduced. Concerns have also surfaced because in pre-season testing the cars are already going quicker than the 2004 machines they replaced - even though there was talk of them trying to be two to three seconds a lap slower.

And there have already been wide criticisms about the decision to introduce long-life tyres this year - with some drivers and team bosses claiming it will be more dangerous if they are forced to complete races on flat-spotted tyres rather than being allowed to change to new rubber.

But Mosley has dismissed the worries - and claimed that the tyre rules will be perfectly safe and that car speeds have actually been kept in check.

Speaking about the criticisms voiced about tyres, Mosley said: "The thing is, they [the drivers] have all just come into the business. It is like [Paul] Stoddart in his last letter saying that this is going to be so dangerous.

"Well, all through the 1960's, 1970's and most of the 1980's you did a race on a set of tyres and it was only when they brought in refuelling they got to changing tyres. People like Alain Prost are saying what has ruined GP racing is the ability to change tyres.

"There is no doubt that changing rates of grip in the race will create situations where overtaking becomes possible. I don't think there is any more danger than there ever was. Back in the days where you filled a car up and did a race distance, you didn't come into the pits unless there was a problem and no-one suggested it was dangerous.

"All these people have only come into grand prix racing in the last 10 years and they don't know what they are talking about. We might have an incident, but it is no more likely than when you change tyres."

When asked by autosport.com that the evidence from testing, with cars breaking some testing lap records, meant perhaps he had not gone far enough in reducing speeds, Mosley admitted that it was "probably" the case.

But he believed that to have tried to reduce speeds by even more would have created too much resistance from teams - and that his moves had achieved their aim in reducing speeds on what the teams would have been capable of in 2005 if they had been left unchecked.

"The thing is, it is always the same pattern. You put the changes forward, the teams tell you, 'this is 26 percent less downforce and only four percent less drag', the tyres have to be concrete to last the race and at that point you get people telling you you are completely mad to talk about any changes to the engine because you will slow the cars down to where the F3000 will be quicker.

"Well, you know what will happen. By the end of testing and the beginning of the season they are back up to where they were - but they are not where they would have been if we hadn't have done it."

Mosley is confident that the move to 2.4-litre V8 engines in 2006 will slow the cars sufficiently to mean that the FIA will not have to act again in changing car regulations to cut speeds.