Force India Deputy Team Principal Says Engine Debate Part Of ‘Battle For Control’

Bob Fernley

Force India believes the FIA's "push to reduce engine costs" in F1 is part of a "wider power battle for control of the sport," according to Jonathan Noble of MOTORSPORT.

FIA President Jean Todt and F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone want a standard engine introduced in '17 that will "allow independent teams access to a cheap power unit." Their plans are being met with resistance from manufacturers, however, who think that the sport "will not benefit from having different types of engines competing against each other."

Force India Deputy Team Principal Bob Fernley thinks that the issues go "far behind just power unit supply though."

Fernley: "I think the issues at the moment are about a certain amount of power control between the manufacturers and the FIA/commercial rights holder. We are passengers to that." The issues that Red Bull have faced this year in trying to get engines "has shown how manufacturers have such a decisive grip in terms of what happens on the grid."

And Fernley thinks the fact that Mercedes and Ferrari resisted Red Bull's overtures has "highlighted why Todt and Ecclestone need to do more to help the independent teams."

He said, "We need a better distribution of income, which is what we have been asking for, and we need cost control. It doesn't have to be one or the other."

Although the opening up of a tender for a standard engine will "only happen if there is support among teams," Fernley suggested that the FIA should "go ahead with it anyway as it may throw up good alternative ideas for F1."

He said, "What I would encourage is go through the tender process and let's see what is there, and what can come out of it." Motorsport