McLaren: FIA must stick to core principles of 2021 rules
McLaren Formula 1 team boss Andreas Seidl says that the FIA must stick to the principles of the 2021 regulations even if a delay in their publication allows time for changes.
The rules were due to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council this month, but the FIA and the F1 organisation have asked the teams to approve a delay until October.
However, they did not all sign a letter that was circulated in Canada, with McLaren among those understood to have expressed reservations about the wording of the original version. The matter will now be addressed in a meeting in Paris on Thursday, ahead of the main WMSC gathering.
Renault has already made it clear that it fears that extra time will allow wholesale changes to the proposed regulations to be pushed through, and McLaren shares that view.
"We see the same risk," Seidl told Motorsport.com. "But on the other hand we trust the FIA and Liberty, that they know what they are doing, and know what is good for the sport in the future.
"Some principles have been agreed. We don't have final regulations, we just hope that it all stays like that, which is in our opinion the right thing.
"I think we have to see now what the outcome is. In the end it doesn't make a huge difference. The main thing for us is that the principles that have been set out stay in place. That's our priority, to be honest."
Seidl said that McLaren is happy to wait for final details of the rules before committing to a 2021 R&D programme.
"The regulations which are in discussion at the moment, plus the working groups that are happening, are a good base. Clearly it still needs fine tuning, so it doesn't really make sense to put resources on now for development. But it's the same for everyone, so I wouldn't say this is a big issue.
"As I said for us it's more important to stick to principles that have been agreed beforehand, and not to divert from them. Obviously it has an influence on how the optimum set-up looks like in the future."
Previous article
Verstappen: F1 needs "one person" with absolute power
Next article
Ferrari drops Canada appeal but considers review
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Teams | McLaren |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
Sergio Perez's First Drive With Red Bull Racing
Alfa Romeo C41 and Alfa Romeo C39 Compared
Say Hello To The RB16B | Unveiling Our 2021 Car
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.
Eight things Red Bull must do to beat Mercedes in 2021
After seven years of defeat at the hands of Mercedes, Red Bull is as hungry as ever to secure a fifth world championship. But there are key challenges it must overcome in 2021 to switch from challenger to conqueror
How AlphaTauri has adapted to F1's new rules
AlphaTauri launched its AT02, complete with a new livery, as it bids to home in on an already-tight midfield battle. Although there were few outright new parts displayed on the launch render, there might be a few clues into further changes down the line…
