Ricciardo: Drivers should be consulted over F1 rule changes 

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo feels drivers should be more involved in the decision-making process when Formula 1 considers making changes to the rules. 

Ahead of last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, F1 voted in favour of introducing simplified aerodynamic regulations for 2019 in a bid to help overtaking, following concerns raised by drivers about difficulties in trying to follow and fight for position during races. 

But the decision was criticised by Sebastian Vettel, with the Ferrari driver claiming it would be “comical” if F1 produced slower cars next year after a recent push to make cars faster and said driver’s views should be taken into consideration before signing off tweaks to the rules. 

When asked if he agreed with Vettel, Ricciardo replied: “Yeah absolutely. I have no idea what they have changed. I heard something that they have already agreed on some aerodynamic rules.

“I am not trying to be funny, but I genuinely have no idea what they are doing or what they have changed or decided. I don’t know if that is up to us to…regardless we should not have to ask can you involve us? 

“We should be involved because we are the ones driving. We are not engineers but we are the ones that know what is going on in a racing situation. So for sure we should be consulted about it and at least our opinion should be heard.”

While Ricciardo acknowledged that drivers and teams do not always see eye-to-eye with their opinions about regulation changes, the Australian believes F1 is missing out on valuable feedback by not consulting drivers. 

“When us drivers talk about things like this, that is the problem. A lot of us drivers might agree but we know our teams won’t agree, and that is where it is hard. But I think the racing and this side of stuff that we are involved in first hand, we should be consulted at least.”