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Renault F1 team have expressed their desire to see a freeze in the current engine development after the new regulations enter the sport in 2021. It has been rumored that such a freeze is one of many implementations to enter the sport in the 2021 season.
The current engine formula has been used since its introduction in 2014, which consists of a 1.6 litre turbo V6 engine, with the extra hybrid MGU-K and MGU-H components.
Renault believes that such a freeze in the current power unit specification and development could further cut costs for teams and level up the grid in the future.
"With the budget cap and the fairer distribution of money, two of our demands are met," Renault manging director Cyril Abiteboul said.
"But that's not enough for us. If Formula 1 is not going to cost us anything anymore, it's just about freezing engine development from 2021 onwards. By then, everyone will be at a similar level anyway."
Freezing engine regulations and grinding power unit development to a halt is an idea that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff finds acceptable, under certain conditions.If we find on a calibrated test bench that the power and torque of the four engines are within one percent, a development halt makes sense."
Renault have somewhat suffered with engine performance and reliability since the new formula was introduced in 2014, but believes that this proposed engine freeze can help benefit costs from spiraling and has been a major discussed topic, along with other areas such as standardizing parts such as pit equipment.
Honda, the engine supplier that replaced Renault as supplier to Red Bull Racing for 2019 and beyond, has also expressed its favour of such a freeze in engine development from 2021 and beyond, with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko echoing Renault's reasons for such an idea.
"The freezing of the engines must come," Marko added. "Otherwise the costs will run away. The last tenth is known to be the most expensive.
"We've already seen in the V8 era how much money was saved by freezing development. With these monsters we currently have, the saving effect would be even greater."
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Replies (3)
Login to replyRam Samartha
Posts: 1,172
Comments from Ferrari noticeably absent. Time for Liberty to start making the hard decisions.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
Agreed, Ferrari and Mercedes remarks are willing to invest to stay ahead.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I am mixed with this. One one hand: great, lower costs. On the other: it sucks, because F1 is a platform to innovate and test new configs and improve on the hybrid aspects of modern engines. And I'm not sure either Renault or Honda can afford an engine freeze, even if they get 2 more years.