Mercedes F1 agrees (in principle) to unfreeze engine regulations
11-05-2014 | 10:14 AM
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Mercedes F1 agrees (in principle) to unfreeze engine regulations
Now we're talking!
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says the German manufacturer will agree to an engine unfreeze, but only if it is definitely agreed that it will be a one-off occurrence and will not happen again.
Under the current regulations, work on engine development is heavily limited but Renault and Ferrari are keen for the rules to be changed for the 2015 campaign in order to allow greater competition between suppliers.
Mercedes has argued against it due to fears it will lead to an escalation in costs, but after months of debate it seems a compromise is now near, with more talks scheduled for this weekend in Brazil.
"If this is the compromise needed to guarantee long term stability and then agree long term we are not going to change the rules every year, that is something we will look at," Wolff told reporters.
"What we have said is we are calculating what it means financially and what it means logistically. We are a team which needs to deliver eight power units a time, whereas Honda only does two, Ferrari and Renault four. There is a big difference. Once we have gathered all the data we are going to sit down again in Sao Paolo."
Meanwhile, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner is hopeful an engine unfreeze has moved a step closer.
"There was a very encouraging meeting on Saturday in Austin and Mercedes have agreed that they need to provide a window of opportunity to the others to introduce competition," Horner explained.
"But I cannot see beyond that any changes to the technical or sporting regulations because every time it is changed it has a detrimental effect on costs," he added.
"Mercedes have not actually agreed to anything as yet. But there were very constructive discussions that hopefully will see a solution in place in the near future."
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says the German manufacturer will agree to an engine unfreeze, but only if it is definitely agreed that it will be a one-off occurrence and will not happen again.
Under the current regulations, work on engine development is heavily limited but Renault and Ferrari are keen for the rules to be changed for the 2015 campaign in order to allow greater competition between suppliers.
Mercedes has argued against it due to fears it will lead to an escalation in costs, but after months of debate it seems a compromise is now near, with more talks scheduled for this weekend in Brazil.
"If this is the compromise needed to guarantee long term stability and then agree long term we are not going to change the rules every year, that is something we will look at," Wolff told reporters.
"What we have said is we are calculating what it means financially and what it means logistically. We are a team which needs to deliver eight power units a time, whereas Honda only does two, Ferrari and Renault four. There is a big difference. Once we have gathered all the data we are going to sit down again in Sao Paolo."
Meanwhile, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner is hopeful an engine unfreeze has moved a step closer.
"There was a very encouraging meeting on Saturday in Austin and Mercedes have agreed that they need to provide a window of opportunity to the others to introduce competition," Horner explained.
"But I cannot see beyond that any changes to the technical or sporting regulations because every time it is changed it has a detrimental effect on costs," he added.
"Mercedes have not actually agreed to anything as yet. But there were very constructive discussions that hopefully will see a solution in place in the near future."
11-05-2014 | 12:20 PM
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If I were Mercedes, I would only be doing this if I were already working on a whole new replacement engine. I wonder if the other teams have been, just in case? If not, they'll be as flat-footed as they were this year.