F1 Is the Epitome of Mechanical Engineering..Or Not?

[Casper]

Taking the premise of F1 being the epitome of mechanical engineering and leading the world in advancing automotive engineering with all this feeding down into road cars I would suggest that maybe it is not. If it was wouldn't the category be fully electric and leading the world in finding new ways to improve all electric cars.

This is not a thread to say you don't like watching electric cars race, you wouldn't own one in two million years, electric cars are a passing fad, you will commit suicide if F1 ever goes electric etc. The discussion here is that everyone holds up F1 for its technical expertise so why is it stuffing around with hybrids? Perhaps it needs to as the energy source batteries are not a mature and race ready just yet. It also could be that when the current engine regs were formulated the electric car was not seen in the way it is today.