Lewis Hamilton called upon the FIA to step in to curb Red Bull's dominance, accusing the governing body of allowing teams to dominate Formula 1 for years.
Red Bull are the defending constructors' champions, having ended an eight-year Mercedes streak last season. And Max Verstappen has won the last two drivers' titles.
And both look set to add more silverware this season. Red Bull have been well ahead of everyone else in terms of car performance, while Verstappen has barely put a foot wrong to win six of eight races so far – team-mate Sergio Perez taking victories in the other two.
Team boss Christian Horner has already admitted Red Bull are already focusing on the 2024 season. "Obviously, because we have a lot less wind tunnel time we have to start thinking a lot about next year," he said after victory in Canada two weeks ago.
"We're spinning a couple of plates at the moment but, with the regulations being stable, whatever we learn this year we carry into next year as well. Of course, there are things that we'll keep bringing to this year's car, but a lot of the focus now back in the factory is already on next year."
So while their rivals are working flat out to close the gap this season, Red Bull have already got a head-start on them for 2024. And Hamilton has called upon the sport's governing body to change the rules to stop teams from being allowed to do that.
"Ultimately, it's likely that bit by bit, by the end of the year, we'll catch Red Bull, but that's only because they're already focusing on next year's car because they're so far ahead," he said ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix.
"They don't have to make any changes to this year's car any more because they're so far ahead, just cruising 100 points ahead of us. I think the FIA should put a time when everyone is allowed to start development on their next car.
"So, [for example] August 1st, that's when everyone can start, so no-one can get an advantage for next year, because that sucks. Do you not think that would make more sense?
"Say, for example, when you start the season and you know you have a bad car, you can say, 'Actually, I'm not going to bother developing this car, I'll put all the money into next year's car and have an advantage then'."
Hamilton was challenged by the interviewer, given that his own Mercedes team enjoyed that long period of dominance themselves. The seven-time world champion responded by admitting the Silver Arrows had benefitted from being able to work on future cars early in the past, and pointed out other examples to back the case for a rule change.
He added: "It needs to change because that's why you have dominance for so long. They keep allowing it to happen. When Ferrari were ahead the same thing happened there – when Red Bull were ahead with Seb [Vettel] back in the day they could start earlier, they were always ahead."
