F1 to have new engine rules in 2016 (Update)
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| Bernie says either the teams agree to change the engines or he will dictate what they will be. Is there any doubt who calls the shots in F1? |
(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed reports he remains determined to shake up F1's engine rules.
We reported that, at Thursday's Strategy Group meeting in Geneva, the F1 supremo did propose to scrap the turbo V6 regulations for 2016 but it did not produce a "definitive result".
But according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, he made clear his strong desire for 'louder, more powerful and cheaper' engines for 2016, perhaps to be normally aspirated, 1000 horse power and costing just 10 million euros for a customer supply.
"An expert group must deliver results (on the proposal) by the end of January," claimed correspondent Michael Schmidt.
But Ecclestone told The Independent newspaper late on Friday that at the meeting, in emerged that in fact "Nobody wants to change the engines, they are all happy".
"It's not exactly great progress," he is quoted by F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.
"The next step is that we will have another meeting in January and the teams will have to come back with something positive. If they don't, we will say this is how it has got to be," Ecclestone added.
12/19/14 (GMM) F1 is now speeding towards yet another new set of engine regulations.
On Thursday at a Geneva meeting of the Strategy Group, Bernie Ecclestone proposed to scrap the current turbo V6 rules.
Michael Schmidt, of the respected German trade magazine Auto Motor und Sport, said that although his proposal did not produce a "definitive result", the sport is now headed towards an all-new set of regulations for 2016.
"The engines are to be louder, more powerful and cheaper," said Schmidt on Friday.
"The goal is 1000 horse power and a cost of 10 million euros per team. An expert group must deliver results (on the proposal) by the end of January," he added.
It is now too late, however, to make significant changes to the 2015 rules, which will be almost identical to the turbo V6 formula that saw Mercedes cruise dominantly to the title this year.
Geneva, however, did produce one or two rule tweaks for 2015.
Recently, when Korea was surprisingly added to the 2015 schedule, it was said Ecclestone had done it as a mere trick to give every driver an extra engine to use throughout next season.
But on Thursday, that loophole was closed and – regardless of whether 20 or 21 races are ultimately held next year – each driver will be limited to just 4 engines for the 2015 season as originally intended.
Schmdit said the tweak was made because the extra engine would have cost already struggling teams up to an extra 800,000 euros.