Niki Lauda thinks Formula One risks alienating a large chunk of its fanbase if it continues going "too far" in the push for safety.
This week the FIA is conducting the last set of tests on the Halo safety device ahead of the July decision on whether to implement it to F1 in 2017. F1 has been relentless in the push for safety in recent years but the introduction of Halo would be a ground-breaking step which could have ramifications in all series of open wheel racing.
The Halo had a largely negative reaction from fans and drivers, with Lewis Hamilton calling it the "worst" modification to a car in F1 history. Fellow three-time world champion Lauda thinks F1's safety push could be sanitising the sport.
"If you go too far with these things, it's no wonder that fewer people are watching these days," Lauda told Motorsport Magazine in reference to the Halo device. "I think -- in a very respectful way -- that the DNA of Formula One should be maintained, and we're slowly going to destroy it if we keep on inventing what are -- for me -- too many safety issues."
Lauda believes F1 fans will stop watching if the sport is perceived to be too safe with none of the risks associated with the past.
"Because of improvements in the cars and tracks, Formula One has never been as safe as it is today, so now the question for me is how far can we go on safety issues without losing the interest of the people? If someone says he wants to make $40m a year, with an easy car to drive, and no risk, this is not reality..."
Lauda's fears are echoed by Sebastian Vettel, who thinks there is a fine balance to be found between safety and the risk of racing.
"The fact that the cars have become a lot safer is obviously nice for us, because knowing a little bit of history shows you that many years ago the drivers weren't as lucky, and I think you need to find the right compromise," Vettel said at the FIA's Sport Conference last week. "The ingredients of passion, speed, danger and noise are very important.
"We want to make the sport safer - we can't shut our eyes if bad things happen. It's a difficult balance, and it might sound wrong initially, but I think the sport in some way has to remain dangerous because that is what is appealing to people. If you lose that ingredient, they don't sense any more that it's something out of their reach - out of this world - and it becomes less exciting. I think racing should keep its core pillars."