F1’s proposed 2021 engine regulations – Manufacturers Reactions

 

 

On October 31st, Formula 1 and governing body the FIA have laid out the proposed next generation of F1 power-trains that will have improved noise, reduced costs and a more level playing field among the major objectives that it hopes to achieve. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/headlines/2017/10/fia-and-formula-1-set-out-clear-direction-for-2021-f1-power-unit.html

 

Key Features of the proposed Power-Units

 

 

• 1.6 Litre, V6 Turbo Hybrid
• 3000rpm higher engine running speed range to improve the sound
• Prescriptive internal design parameters to restrict development costs and discourage extreme designs and running conditions
• Removal of the MGUH
• More powerful MGUK with focus on manual driver deployment in race together with option to save up energy over several laps to give a driver controlled tactical element to racing
• Single turbo with dimensional constraints and weight limits
• Standard energy store and control electronics
• High Level of external prescriptive design to give ‘Plug-And-Play’ engine/chassis/transmission swap capability
• Intention to investigate tighter fuel regulations and limits on number of fuels used

 

 

Manufacturer Reactions

 

 

Aston Martin

Potential F1 engine supplier Aston Martin are ‘encouraged’ by the direction that the proposed 2021 engine regulations that were presented last Tuesday by Formula One bosses.

 

F1 teams met with the FIA, the commercial rights holder and possible new engine manufacturers including Aston Martin.

 

Aston Martin have recruited staff with F1 experience, including former personnel from Ferrari (one being Luca Marmorini hired as a consultant) as it looks to enter the championship as an engine supplier.

 

“Aston Martin attended the recent FIA meeting and has been deeply involved through its submissions on potential solutions,” said Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer in a statement to Autosport.

 

“We are encouraged by the directions being taken and continue to study a potential Aston Martin solution for 2021.

 

“The key will be how development costs are controlled to make participation by independent engine suppliers a viable possibility.” Palmer said.

 

Cosworth

Cosworth have backed the sport’s proposed 2021 engine rules which hopes will reduce the costs of entry and development whilst producing greater noise like the sport’s past.

 

Cosworth’s Managing Director for Power-train Bruce Wood agrees and believes the reduced cost will attract new manufacturers to the sport.

 

“We think the [proposed] rules are something that open it up to a much wider group of people technically and to a much smaller amount of money, which can only interest more people,” Wood explained. “The key thing is that anybody new coming in would have to spend a lot, lot less. Certainly no independent could contemplate it under the current rules and any car company or anyone else entering now knows it is a many hundreds of millions bill and in the current world I’m not sure anybody can tolerate that.”

 

With F1’s current manufacturers unhappy with the proposed engine regulations, Wood’s believes the sport needs to look long term to ensure it remains sustainable.

 

“It is impossible to say the status quo as it is now can be maintained for the long term and if one of the current players should drop out, I don’t think they are going to be replaced by anybody so I think they have taken a long-term view.”

 

Cosworth was the last independent manufacturer to compete in the sport before pulling out of the 2013 season and at the end of Formula 1’s 2.4L normally aspirated V8 era.

Ferrari

The Scuderia have warned Liberty Media that they could pull out of the sport after 2020 if it is unhappy with their plans in the future.

 

Chairman and CEO of Ferrari Sergio Marchionne speaking at a conference call regarding the Italian Sportscar maker’s latest financial results, said that he was satisfied with the idea about reducing costs, the Italian-Canadian was unhappy with the direction that Liberty Media were taking the sport.

 

“It (Formula One) has been part of our DNA since the day we were born,” Marchionne told Reuters. “But if we change the sandbox to the point where it becomes an unrecognizable sandbox, I don’t want to play anymore.” 

 

When asked on how he would feel about being the Chief Executive who pulled the iconic team out of the sport, Marchionne responded.

 

“Like a million bucks because I’ll be working on an alternative strategy to try and replace it. More rational one, too.”

 

Ferrari are the only team to have been in the pinnacle of motorsport since it began in 1950, and also the most successful and prestigious even though the Maranello-based squad have not won a championship since the 2008 season.

 

They have scored a record of 228 victories, 15 World Driver’s and 16 Constructors Championships.

 

For a long time it has been accepted that Ferrari and the Monaco Grand Prix are the two pillars of the sport’s success, and the current share of revenues reflects that special status the Scuderia has.

 

Ferrari, who are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year, first made sportscars to fund their racing activities under founder Enzo Ferrari and has been Italy’s pride and joy.

 

Formula One has been under new ownership since January when U.S.-based Liberty Media took over the sport’s commercial rights and outsed former boss Bernie Ecclestone.

 

Liberty’s aim and objectives for Formula One are to level the playing field and rebalance the revenue distribution once the current concorde agreement with teams expires at the end of the 2020 season.

 

The proposed new, cheaper and simpler engine were unveiled to the teams last Tuesday and there is another meeting of the sport’s Strategy Group this Tuesday to discuss further proposed changes on the sport’s future.

 

“Liberty has got a couple of good intentions in all of this, one of which is to reduce the cost of execution for the team, which I think is good,” continued Marchionne. “I think you need to be absolutely clear that unless we find a set of circumstances, the results of which are beneficial to the maintenance of the brand in the marketplace and to the strengthening of the unique position for Ferrari, Ferrari will not play.”

 

Marchionne stated however that he would not judge anything until receiving adequate information on what changes and ideas the Strategy Group meeting presents.

 

“We’re walking into this meeting next Tuesday with the best of intentions, we’ll see where it takes us,” Marchionne said. “I am attending those meetings on strategy because it’s important, because it matters a lot to this business,”.

 

“The financial implications of the wrong choice for the moment going forward are pretty significant to Ferrari.” Marchionne concluded.

 

Honda

Honda believes the cost reduction and welcoming new manufacturers is very important with regards to the proposed 2021 engine regulation but says there is more to discuss.

 

Speaking in the FIA Press Conference, Honda’s head of Formula 1 Project and Executive Engineer Yusuke Hasegawa said it was not good to give the Japanese manufacturer’s opinion in the public situation.

 

“Obviously we have started the discussion with the FIA so I don’t think it’s a good idea to say yes or no in this public situation but we are respecting the FIA’s decision of course, that they are trying to create a good competition for the FIA for the Formula One,” Hasegawa-san explained.

 

“But we are thinking there is some room to modify so that we are trying to find the good solution, but obviously the cost reduction is very important and we are welcoming new manufacturers so from that point of view we would like to keep discussing with the FIA.”

 

Ilmor

Ilmor has also backed the sport’s proposed simpler, cheaper and noisier 2021 engine regulations with the idea based on the current 1.6L V6 turbocharged hybrid, but without the expensive and technologically advanced MGU-H component in favour of a more powerful MGU-K unit plus a higher 3,000rpm increase to improve sound.

 

Ilmor Managing Director Steve Miller who ran Mercedes engine program from 1993 until the early 2000’s said the rules from the FIA and Formula One Group “opens the door” for more manufacturers to join the sport by making it cheaper and simpler to design and build an engine.

 

“It’s inherently the right thing to do to get away from an over-complicated product that doesn’t sound good and is not really turning on the fans. Miller said. “If they come out of this with a measured view of what’s required to get more manufacturers on the grid, then it is easily achievable from the platform they are working from and I think they are headed in the right direction.”

 

Mercedes

The Silver Arrows is concerned about the proposed engine changes, particularly the cost and lack of input from the engine suppliers.

 

“The concept sounds similar,” explained Toto Wolff to publication Auto Motor und Sport on the proposed regulations made by Liberty Media and Formula One officials. “But it means a complete new development. That would mean that we would have to work on two engines at the same time between 2018 and 2020,”

 

“The doubling-up of each manufacturer’s engine programs would cause costs to soar, as suppliers would have to balance maintaining their current engine’s competitiveness through 2020, as well as giving themselves a strong foundation on which it will achieve success in 2021 and beyond.”

 

“It is a vision and not yet a regulation that will shortly be approved and will come into force in 2021,” said Wolff, “And it’s only their vision and not the manufacturer’s. It is important to define together what Formula 1 in 2021 represents and what attributes an engine should have. That must then be a target on which we all work. It is at most the starting point of a dialogue, and nothing that we have agreed to in form. Certain things are right, but not fully hit.” Wolff concluded.

 

Renault

Renault Sport F1’s Cyril Abiteboul voiced different concerns, especially the competitive regression seen each time when rules and regulations change.

 

“Despite maybe what FOM and FIA would say, what is put forward is a new engine,” explained Abiteboul to Motorsport. “It is a new engine with lots of gimmicks, but it is a new engine. And that is really for me the most fundamental element,”

 

“We need to be extremely careful because each time we come up with a new regulation that will come up with a new product—new engine or new chassis—we all know what is the impact. It is going to open an arms race again, and it will open up the field once again.” Abiteboul concluded.