Why F1's age of paranoia must end

It's Thursday at the British Grand Prix and the Silverstone pitlane is packed with Formula 1 fans getting their fill of driver autographs and photos the day before track action gets under way.

A bigger than usual throng has gathered outside the FIA's scrutineering garage as it is Red Bull's turn to go through F1's new technical 'show and tell' extravaganza - revealing all about the updates on the RB14.

Broadcast over the circuit's own screens, plus live on F1's social media platforms, technical guru Pat Symonds is unleashed to explain all about what Red Bull has done with its new front wing and floor.

Standing to the side, Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey looks uncomfortable as his secrets are revealed to not only the fans, but also pitlane rivals such as James Allison and Mattia Binotto who have come down for a look themselves.

But however uneasy Newey is about the tech giveaway, he knew that bringing a major development like this would trigger one of the FIA's car update logs on its new database - with teams now forced to show the new parts in public if they want to run them out on track.

After years and years of secrecy where new parts were hidden away as much as possible from the prying eyes of the media or rival teams, the new technical openness had come as part of Liberty's F1 shake up to make the series more accessible for fans.

In fact, for those who loved the cars, things have never been so good - they are finally able to appreciate the technological battleground that was all too often hidden away from the world.

Never have fans understood better the different front wing concepts, the latest floor slots nor been given the exact figure for how much the wheelbase difference between the Ferrari and the Mercedes has narrowed.

Except, of course, the above bold idea of an F1 car 'show and tell' is something that is unlikely ever to be allowed to get off the ground - because teams would never sanction their technical secrets being given away so freely. F1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn did outline the idea of such a 'show and tell' with teams last year, and he was not surprised in the slightest that there was a big kickback.

"It is on the list of the things we have raised with the teams," he told me late last year. "I wouldn't say we have discussed it, but it has been put on an agenda, and I've had some feedback on IP [intellectual property] and all sorts of other things.

"IP is a topic that is raised when it suits people! But what is the IP in the aerodynamic surfaces of the car, because it is all out there isn't it? So, we haven't got very far with that one. I think it would be a lot of fun."

It would be a lot of fun, but it also raises an interesting question about where F1's dividing line should be between the great intrigue that comes from complete secrecy, and the benefits of complete openness and transparency.

There is little doubt that while the drivers are always the main stars in F1, the cars and the technology behind them are a huge element of interest.

The very fact that new car launches are such a big attraction shows fans care about the machinery as much as the people that drive them. And for many of us that have followed motorsport for longer than we care to acknowledge, there is nothing like getting our teeth into some new technology or new concept and seeing it play out, no matter how complicated it has got.

Ground effect, the Brabham fan car, semi-automatic gearboxes, brake steer, double-diffusers, the F-duct, flexi-wings and exhaust blown diffusers are all etched in F1 folklore - and each has been given epic status because there was huge intrigue, debate and secrecy surrounding them.

Teams know almost everything about what the others are up to, but they still behave as though they have signed the Official Secrets' Act. It is ultimately down to unnecessary paranoia

There is nothing more thrilling for teams or media than uncovering a tech secret, and this constant quest among the teams and fans to get to the bottom of what is going on in the cars only serves to rev up the interest even more.

If everything was given out freely on a plate, and explained in intricate detail, would that take away too much intrigue and remove the possibility for talking points and debate about exactly what is going on out there?

Christmas and birthdays are so exciting because of the presents and the uncertainty that surrounds what you are going to receive. Where would the thrill come from everybody knowing exactly what they were going to get - and being told in detail about it days in advance?

Would our excitement about the latest technical solution, or what a team plans to do next, be dulled if everything was explained to us in public? Would openness detract from the magic and make us realise that this latest front wing update is simply just one of 10 other updates that have been rolled out - so is nothing much to get excited about?

There probably is no right or wrong answer to this debate, although the reality is perhaps that a better balance can be found between the extreme secrecy we have at the moment, and the openness that would exist in Liberty's utopia.

While fans and media are deliberately kept in the dark about a lot of technical changes (even rules sometimes), the situation among the teams is very different.

As soon as a car is out of the garage, photographs of it are whizzed back to rival teams' technical chiefs for them to pore over, analyse and, if they think ideas are there to be copied, to get their factory working on it immediately.

Just look at the amusement in Singapore last year when Sebastian Vettel pointed out in post-qualifying television interviews that Red Bull's sidepod deflectors appeared identical to the concept Ferrari had put to good use.

"This is ours, looks like a copy, no?" smiled Vettel as he gestured to the RB13.

Being in a scenario where teams know almost everything about what the others are up to, but they still behave as though they have signed the Official Secrets Act, is ultimately down to unnecessary paranoia.

Brawn, who has been on the other side of the fence as a technical director and team boss, suggested last year that F1 could benefit from changing this mindset.

One example he gave was in regards to team radio - which has now become an integral part of the show but at one time was an area where teams went to great lengths with encryption so rivals would not be able to monitor what they were up to.

"It's thinking with a bigger picture - let's stop being so competitive in certain arenas," he said.

"We know we need to beat each other, but can we cross that barrier and instead say what we want is a much bigger business. And if we all do it, nobody is going to be disadvantaged or advantaged.

"I remember it was the same with team radio. Teams didn't want radio conversations broadcast, but now it is a very interesting aspect of the race and nobody thinks about it anymore."

Perhaps a more public and open scrutineering to allow observers closer to the cars would work. It would give the opportunity for the clever observers to spot the new stuff, without forcing teams to unwillingly show their hands.

Maybe that idea floating around last year of taking the winning cars apart one of two times over the course of the year for 'open' inspection would help things - and have a double bonus of allowing smaller outfits a chance to properly understand (and go away to copy) developments that the biggest teams have spent a fortune on. It could even help close up the grid.

A full on F1 'show and tell' may be just a pipe dream, but there is definitely something to be said for loosening the championship's cloak of secrecy a little bit. If only so fans can get more of a taste of the real magic that goes on when those garage doors are shut.