09.03.2007: Retromobile is one the world's most important classic car shows with models representing over a century's worth of progress and design, while this year's Paris-based event offered up a definite avant-garde showing: on hand was Nick Mason, the drummer for Pink Floyd, a band that was and continues to be way ahead of its time. While Mason is best known around the world as one of Pink Floyd's founding members, he is also very passionate about his world-renowned collection of cars--on display this week at Retromobile-- and racing, having driven in the fabled 24 Hours of Le Mans. Amid Mason's personal car collection on display this weekend, Mason briefly discussed with Autopia how Formula 1 racing remains on the cutting edge of technology--which will hopefully trickle down into cars that we all can later afford and drive.

Mason on Formula 1 technology today:

NICK MASON: A brand new, current Formula 1 car is probably the most interesting thing that anyone can drive in the present day. Most of the black arts now seem to be about the aerodynamics rather than suspension or anything else. What does interests me now is how you can take the latest technologies of Formula 1 and apply it to old cars. You can get telemetry kits. It is fascinating to look at how a Maserati Birdcage for instance [could benefit]. The lessons that can be learned from relative telemetry, maximum speeds gained, braking areas and lines and so on. The things that you can tell a driver driving an old car that would never be possible 50 years ago. Some of that stuff would be terrific. I think Formula 1 [technology] is going to be continuous, because of the worries about emissions and so on. They are going to make fuel tanks smaller and somehow they are going to make engines the same speeds. You can cut down on the engine sizes as much as you like.

Many people say Formula 1 racing is in a decline? Do you agree?

NICK MASON: The problem to some extent is that the costs have become so enormous. And the only way they can afford it is to become enormously corporate and the drivers have to become promoters for the products. So you slightly lack that thing of the characters, because the teams themselves don't what to over develop their characters because what is important for them is to see their car doing well rather than their driver doing well. They are caught up in a curious thing when they can't turn their drivers into superstars because they will have to pay them more. They want a good driver that can win Formula 1 races.