Even Renault Happy With V6 Compromise - Boullier

By: GMM

F1 engine supplier Renault is happy with the new engine rules for 2014, despite recently threatening to quit if four-cylinder rules did not debut a year earlier than that.

Eric Boullier, Team Principal, Renault F1 Team and Jean-Francois Caubet, Managing director of Renault F1

Photo by: xpb.cc

With Bernie Ecclestone and all of F1's other engine makers opposed to Jean Todt's original plan, the F1 Commission this week agreed on a turbo V6 formula.

But even Renault is happy with the compromise, customer Lotus-Renault GP's team boss Boullier is quoted by autohebdo.fr.

"Everybody is willing to have the V6 as the base for 2014, including Renault, who support the project," said the Frenchman. "But there is still a lot to do to finalise the project."

Boullier admits he likes the idea of a V6 much more than Todt's now-scrapped inline four.

"V6 is more interesting than four cylinder from a technological point of view. Also for the image of Formula One, which has to be a showcase of technology," he added.

Meanwhile, it might be said that Mercedes-Benz is not keen on the idea of new engine rules, because its current V8 is regarded as the very best on the grid. ""V6 is more interesting than four cylinder from a technological point of view|Eric Boullier

Mercedes GP's Michael Schumacher insists: "I don't think it makes a big difference whether it's six, four, eight or ten cylinders. The rules are the same for everyone," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

As for the possible erosion of Mercedes' advantage, the German added: "Whoever builds the best engine now can build the best engine in the future.

"I can see Mercedes out the front again, and actually it could even mean a step forward," said the seven time world champion.