FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis addressed the drivers’ criticism and insisted the governing body had been aware of the concerns well before the season began. “I think drivers are, by definition, quite demanding clients. So I don’t think we expect them to have a sugar coat or to not speak their mind,” Tombazis said. The FIA had explored changes, including a proposal to reduce maximum race energy deployment, but that effort was rejected before the season started. “If a PU manufacturer who was not participating in F1, let’s say Audi for example, they still had to be bound by regulations,” Tombazis said.