F1 to move to three engines per year in 2018

Formula 1's engine manufacturers have agreed to the idea of limiting drivers to three engines per year from 2018 as part of their push to deliver reduced costs reports Jonathan Noble of Motorsport.com.

Ahead of talks between teams later this month to discuss changes to F1's power unit regulations, the manufacturers think the best way to reduce costs and help performance converge is to cut back on the number of engines allowed per season.

Sources suggest that early calculations indicate cutting back from the current four-engine limit (five engines when there are more than 21 races) should ensure customer teams can be supplied with power units for 12 million Euros per season – a target figure originally laid down by the FIA.

The move has won preliminary support from engine makers but a crunch meeting of the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission later this month will see whether this plan is accepted and put in to force.