F1 set to give overtake button huge increase

As part of the plans for Formula 1’s new generation of power units, drivers are set to receive a much more robust overtake button.

The FIA’s head of engines, Gilles Simon, told Auto Motor und Sport: “We benefit from the experience of the engineers from the last 20 years. With this knowledge, we are now able to simplify many things in design.

“The current rules were written more than 10 years ago. At that time, we were still very afraid there would be a costly arms race in the field of electric propulsion. That’s why we set limits on charging and releasing energy. Today, we would allow more freedoms because we have more experience.

“Manufacturers get the most out of the batteries we use today. The future batteries will be slightly larger but much more powerful. They will be the best on the market.

“We may still be setting a limit on the power we get out of the batteries, but let manufacturers more freely determine how they manage that energy within that limit. This allows manufacturers to differentiate themselves. We try to slow down costs by prescribing battery technology, but then let it play 100 percent free with what they have.

“We are working on such models. This includes the fact the driver can use extra power for overtaking maneuvers in the race. We will come up with a spectacular solution.

“With today’s technology, this would be easy to make visible to viewers on the TV screen via graphics. You can then see when the driver is using the extra power or how much he still has in reserve.”