World champion Max Verstappen says F1 “does not need to heal” after last year’s controversial title decider.
But the 24-year-old said there needs to be more teams fighting at the front.
The Red Bull driver took the drivers’ title following a decision by race director Michael Masi not to follow procedures around restarting the race.
In an interview with BBC Sport, he also said Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary was “faking rivalries”, and has chosen not to take part.
Verstappen won the final race of last season in Abu Dhabi after overtaking title rival Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes on the final lap, following a decision by Masi to restart the race early after a safety car.
Masi was removed from his role as race director last month as a result of failing to apply the rules correctly.
“The sport doesn’t need to heal, there are these dramatic moments which are part of the sport as well,” Verstappen said.
“F1 is a very tough world. I think Lewis can feel the pain a bit less if you already have seven (drivers’ titles).”
The Dutchman added that Formula 1 needs “more teams at the front, fighting for wins”.
The new season, which begins in Bahrain this weekend, sees new car and tyre designs aimed at enabling drivers to follow each other more closely on the track and improve the racing spectacle.
“Slowly we are are getting to that - hopefully these new regulations will give us that boost and we have more drivers on every team fighting. Because at the end of the day this is what we like, right?”
F1 has enjoyed an profile boost from last year’s controversial final race, the new rules and the growing popularity of Netflix series Drive to Survive, which chronicles a number of stories in teams up and down the pit lane. (BBC Sport)