MARCH 19, 2015

New rules made for right reasons

Williams has become the next team to back F1's current regulations.

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After Mercedes' dominance of the Melbourne opener, Red Bull was so critical of the new-in-2014 turbo V6 formula that it threatened to quit the sport.

But so far, no team has come out to back Red Bull's strident stance.

"The changes were made for the right reasons," Williams deputy team boss Claire Williams told Forbes.

"From my perspective as a commercial director, the change in the engine regulations has definitely alleviated pressure talking to companies that look at formula one as a sport and are put off by the environmental questions around it," she was quoted by journalists Kate Hewitt and Christian Sylt.

The journalists claim Williams' estimated increase of almost $55 million in sponsorship over the past year is more than any other F1 team.

"I think we need to tell the story around these new engines," Claire Williams continued.

"I don't think it is a story that has been told enough yet and I think that would do us more favour if we did. But I do believe that from an environmental perspective it was the right way to go."

(GMM)