Schumacher wants bhp cut

"When you are considering speeds, it's probably a matter of whether we have arrived at a limit where we can't cope," said Schumacher. "From a driver's view I'd say that we can cope quite easily with the speeds but for future development there has to be a plan."

Horsepower gains, aerodynamic development and tyre improvements all contribute to escalating speeds which have seen lap times trimmed by as much as 3secs this year. The gains attributed to tyres tend to take on more significance when rival companies are driving each other, than when the sport has one sole supplier.

That inevitably leads to suggestions that a control tyre would be a better way forward, but Schumacher disagrees.

"That's one view but in a free sport, its difficult," he said. "When we went from 3.5-litre engines to 3-litres, we were down to around 600bhp but in a short while we will be knocking on 1,000bhp, which is out of proportion to the tyres and the aero package. We have to look at reducing the horsepower."