'Unacceptable' Standard Engine Is Not the Only Option

Ferrari v the FIA?

Ferrari issued a threat to quit Formula 1 should the standardised engine plan by the FIA push through earlier this week. In a statement, the Ferrari team expressed their "strong concerns regarding plans to standardise engines as it felt that such a move would detract from the entire raison of a sport with which Ferrari has been involved continuously since 1950, a raison d’etre based principally on competition and technological development". The statement then said that the management will have to "re-evaluate, with its partners the viability of continuing its presence in the sport."

Ferrari is not the lone voice in voicing out their displeasure over the FIA's proposed plan of the standardised engine. Toyota also responded against the plan by stating that they will only continue with Formula 1 if it remains as a technical challenge.

But it appeared that both Toyota and Ferrari have jumped the gun in issuing their threats to quit the sport over FIA's regulations, as the FIA had came out with their statement on how Ferrari has misinterpreted the FIA's plan.

The standardised engine is just one of the three options offered by the FIA on cost-cutting for the Formula 1 teams. Another option given by the FIA is that "the manufacturers should jointly guarantee to supply power trains to the independent teams for less than €5m per season."

Teams are invited to submit their tender for a contract to supply engine and power transmission systems for use in the FIA Formula One World Championship until 7 November 2008.

Unfortunately for the FIA, there is a growing opposition to the plan with Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports Norbert Haug agreeing with the concerns of Ferrari and Toyota that having a standardised engine will severely impair the sport in its technical challenge. The German hopes that a compromise can be reached soon, while Renault team principal Flavio Briatore suggested that instead of a standardised engine, the FIA could impose limits on the development boundaries so as to lower the sport's costs.

Comments

Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.

Headlines