Recalling his time at Williams, Pat Symonds insists that the funds cap is “elementary” to the way forward for the game.
His profession in F1 virtually ruined by the Crash-gate saga that’s now again within the headlines, Symonds returned to F1 in 2013 as a marketing consultant to Virgin Racing. The truth is, following Nick Wirth’s departure from Virgin, Symonds turned de facto technical boss at Virgin nevertheless as a consequence of his (then) ongoing ban because of the Singapore scandal he remained a marketing consultant, even when in identify solely.
In 2013 he joined Williams as Chief Technical Officer, leaving on the finish of 2016 to finally fulfil the identical position at F1.
Talking on the Past the Grid podcast, Symonds says the funds cap – which, paradoxically, was supposedly on the desk when Virgin and several other others had been enticed to hitch the game – is prime to F1’s future.
“We discuss loads in regards to the 2022 automotive and the way it’s improved racing and all of the issues we did, however the funds cap does not actually get the medals it deserves as a result of the funds cap is prime to the way forward for Components 1,” he mentioned.
“My final workforce was Williams, the place we had been present on a shoestring,” he added. “The truth is, not lengthy after I left Williams, it did not exist on a shoestring. They needed to promote and so they weren’t alone, groups had been actually struggling to outlive.
“Over the course of seven years, we have turned these groups into all being price half a billion {dollars} and that is fairly spectacular. And a big a part of that’s due to the funds cap.”
The Briton claims the cap was additionally integral when it comes to new engine producers becoming a member of the grid, what with Ford and Honda returning and Audi coming into for the primary time.
“It is expertise at a wise price,” he mentioned. “Now, whenever you discuss in regards to the producers, they’re saying ‘yeah, really now that is attention-grabbing expertise and it isn’t at a ridiculous worth’.
“We’re not having to place lots of and lots of of tens of millions of {dollars} into it, however we are able to exploit the areas which are of curiosity to us.”
Very similar to his reference to drivers being the heroes, “the supermen that we (the game) wish to promote”, Symonds sounds extra like a salesman than the Chief Technical Officer for the game. Certainly, like Ross Brawn earlier than him, he seems to have forgotten his racing roots, a poacher turned gamekeeper… and PR man.
And arms up all those that agree with him that the 2022 automotive has improved the racing.
