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FIA pushing for low budget turbo package
An alternative engine package being allowed in F1 looks likely to become a reality as Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt are pushing the concept of low-budget power unit.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Oct 24, 2015, 12:17 AM
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Sources suggest that the FIA could launch a tender process – most likely for a 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6 – as soon as next week.
The engines could be used as early as 2017, and such a change would not require unanimous agreement.
The news comes despite the idea receiving no support at the meeting of the sport's engine manufacturers in Geneva last week.
However, the manufacturers also rejected any kind of cost cap on their current engine supply deals, and that may have prompted the FIA to act. It remains to seen if the concept is ultimately being used as a bargaining chip to bring those costs down.
Ecclestone has long been pushing for a way to find an independent engine maker who can supply a budget engine to struggling teams, and Todt is also sympathetic to the idea of a low cost package.
A return to V8s or a move to a twin-turbo V6 with a basic KERS package has also been mentioned as a last ditch alternative for Red Bull to use in 2016, although it would require unanimous support for a rule change.
Longer term, the turbo idea was always more likely to fly than a return to V8s, as it would represent less of a loss of face for the FIA and those who have been pushing the new technology.
Inevitably the biggest problem would be to create some form of equivalency formula, and it remains to seen how that would be achieved.
Two-class system?
One manufacturer boss told Motorsport.com that if it did happen, F1 would have to run with two classes.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner remains open to the idea of an alternative, and he also favours a turbo route rather than a move to older technology, as he indicated today when asked about the prospect of a return to V8s.
"We might have to because we don't have an engine!" he joked. "I think if you look at what the plus points of the V8 were, the sound was the obvious one for the fans. It was quite simple technology compared to what we have now, so the costs were quite significantly lower.
"But the machinery that we have now through the regulations, they're incredible bits of equipment, and I think what we need to do rather than look backwards look forwards to what should the engine developed be for the future.
"There's elements of what we have that are strong at the moment that can be improved, and I would certainly love to see the volume go back up, and certainly the cost of development come down."
Inevitably these representing manufacturers are happy with the status quo, and don't want to see any kind of dumbing down of F1 technology.
"Honda joined the sport because of the challenge of the technology," said Eric Boullier. "And obviously some may regret the engine noise of the V8, some may regret the cost as well, but it's true that we have to look forward.
"It's a piece of technology that's brilliant, once it works, in our case hopefully soon, it's a nice challenge to run these engines."
Meanwhile, Matthew Carter of future Renault partner Lotus said: "The relevance of the engines to road car technology means that we are going down the right path at the moment."
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