user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Last chance to slash costs has passed for struggling teams

Last chance to slash costs has passed for struggling teams

  • Published on 27 Jun 2014 09:54
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
F1's last chance to slash costs for struggling teams has now passed. The FIA's World Motor Sport Council met in Munich on Thursday, less than a mere handful of days before the end-of-June deadline for rule changes to be made for 2015 without the near-impossible need for unanimity.

With the budget cap proposal already dead in the water, many struggling teams had hoped meaningful cost reductions would be agreed before the final deadline. But the new and powerful 'Strategy Group' - dominated by the most competitive and richest teams - has ceded only a handful of minor measures. They were rubber-stamped by the FIA on Thursday.

Engine use has been reduced by one 'power unit' per driver to just four in 2015, wind tunnel usage per week has been reduced for 2015 from 80 to 65 hours, the Bahrain winter test has been banned and the personnel 'curfew' at races has been lengthened. Moreover, the use of computational fluid dynamics has been further restricted, teams will no longer be able to use more than one wind tunnel for testing, and two of the four in-season tests have been scrapped.

Many agree that the changes amount to 'tinkering', rather than a substantial move to ensure the survival of struggling teams. Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for Swiss newspaper Blick, wondered: "Is this the end for Marussia, Caterham or Sauber?"

Indeed, with both Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone acknowledging the prospect of losing teams, it is known that detailed talks about three-car teams have already taken place. "At the moment we have eleven teams and hopefully they stay in formula one," said Toto Wolff, boss of the dominant Mercedes team. "But the last 50 years has shown that some teams come, some teams go. If it falls below a critical level, having a third car could be a way of filling up the grid."

Franz Tost, boss of Red Bull's second team Toro Rosso, also admitted "the risk is there" that the F1 grid of 2015 will not feature all 22 cars of today. But as of today, the rules do not allow three-car teams, and the June 30 deadline for non-unanimous rule changes for 2015 will imminently pass. "No," Tost insisted. "If it was needed, I would not be surprised to see third cars in 2015," he is quoted by Italy's Omnicorse.

Meanwhile, at its Munich meeting on Thursday, the FIA also banned the ugly 'anteater'-style noses for 2015, and rubber stamped the use of titanium skid blocks so that they are "lighter" and "better contained". Titanium skid blocks were tested in practice in Austria last weekend, with the aim of spicing up the show with 80s-style sparks. (GMM)
Last chance to slash costs has passed for struggling teams
F1 News Mercedes Sauber Marussia

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

World Championship standings 2022

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
759
2
Ferrari
554
3
Mercedes
514
4
Alpine F1
173
5
McLaren
159
6
Alfa Romeo Racing
55
7
Aston Martin
55
8
Haas F1
37
9
Alpha Tauri
35
10
Williams
8
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Team profile

Mercedes
Mercedes
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco
Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria
Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar