Ferrari wants F1 engine freeze lifted to close up competitive order

[vcs316]

The Ferrari Formula 1 team wants rules that prevent engine manufacturers tweaking their designs during the season relaxed in order to help close up the competitive order.

Ferrari and Renault have built engines down on power compared to the leading Mercedes unit under F1's new turbocharged V6 hybrid regulations introduced for this year.

The rules permit alterations to engine mapping and software, but forbid manufacturers from changing mechanical parts on their units unless they make a special request to make alterations for reasons of reliability, safety or cost.

Team principal Marco Mattiacci told reporters after the recent Belgian Grand Prix, where Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth but complained of a lack of straightline speed, that F1 should be less restrictive in its engine regulations.

When asked whether he would like to see the engine restrictions lifted, Mattiacci said: "Yes, in a certain way not as rigid as it is today.

"I would like to see a couple of opportunities [allowed] a year to work on the engine.

"The DNA of Formula 1 is innovating and catching up with the best and fastest one.

"That's what we keep, as Ferrari, insisting, and one of the areas [where this can be done] is engine freezing."

Ferrari has recently restructured its engine department and ditched former engine chief Luca Marmorini after a disappointing first half of the 2014 season.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115599?

[ManFromMilan]

Merc can just agree to this. They will surely win the Constructor Championship.

At least if upgrades could be implemented now we will see proper racing again.

[Senna4Ever]

would be interesting if we (Ferrari) would see the world same way if we would have the best package and Renault or Merc would ask for the freeze lifted ...

[zike]

Not gonna happen

[mirafiori]

At least we asked for permission to do this, if they say no then we should just go ahead and do it anyway. Mercedes did it with the tyre test last year and then hand picked there own punishment. We need to do what ever it takes to get back to the top. Red Bull along with Renault was reported to have been testing engines after preseason issues.

[giodap]

At least we asked for permission to do this, if they say no then we should just go ahead and do it anyway. Mercedes did it with the tyre test last year and then hand picked there own punishment. We need to do what ever it takes to get back to the top. Red Bull along with Renault was reported to have been testing engines after preseason issues.

I agree. We need to just go ahead and do whatever we need to do to get to the top. any punishment we get will be worth it. Merc and red bull have done it, now it is our turn.

[Stormsearcher]

This will happen!
No one wants to see a 2 horse race for the next 3-4 yrs. Besides, whos put the brakes on honda? They are still developing arent they?

[vcs316]

Teams are allowed to make changes next year. I believe 95% of the engine can be changed for 2015 before the homologation kicks in.

[Silent Bob]

I like his idea. Let the manufacturers make 3 changes to the PU every season. This will keep the development going and allow teams to progress. Otherwise what's the use of keeping an engine department if the same engine will be used for the foreseeable future

[Hornet]

Teams are allowed to make changes next year. I believe 95% of the engine can be changed for 2015 before the homologation kicks in.

From the statement "couple opportunities a year" I think it implies that Ferrari wants performance changes during the season as well, not just in between seasons. The current regulation allows changes for next year, but the problem is for the entire year we are stuck with the current performance order, which isn't good for the sport. Hopefully this is something that will be addressed next year.

[bondilad]

Teams are allowed to make changes next year. I believe 95% of the engine can be changed for 2015 before the homologation kicks in.

I think you can change 48% of the current specification. But i read somewhere that they use a token system for different parts of the PU or something. Can someone can verify this?

[Kiwi Nick]

The whole notion of a development freeze is STUPID, whether it is a new formula or not. By definition, F1 cannot be the pinnacle of motor sport if development is frozen. If freezing development is such a good idea, why not freeze aero development. Turn the geniuses loose!

[mirafiori]

I'am so angry with these idiots who run our sport of formula one, why why why freeze engine development, ever since the first race our season was over, we must and should be able to improve but this rule to freeze development is pathetic. Instead of freezing development why don't they freeze ticket prices instead.

[ARUN M KARUNAN]

my nation india has the biggest democratic rule book.if FIA tries once more they can get that title

[shamim179]

Ferrari agreed to these engine development rules. We were just too confident that we'd produce a competitive engine. There was so much secrecy leading to the buildup of our engine. In the end it wasn't good well below expectations.

Now we want a change to what we agreed previously. Not sure we'll get it but worth trying.

[mirafiori]

Ferrari agreed to these engine development rules. We were just too confident that we'd produce a competitive engine. There was so much secrecy leading to the buildup of our engine. In the end it wasn't good well below expectations.

Now we want a change to what we agreed previously. Not sure we'll get it but worth trying.

Ferrari was the team who wanted this engine solution the least, Renault wanted these engines the most and Mercedes somewhere in the middle, both Mercedes and Renault threatened to pull out of Formula one if the engine regulations were not changed, Also Honda wanted this as well, the reason why Honda is now coming back to F1. These engines are perfect for Renault and Mercedes and will be used in time in there road cars, where as Ferrari need other engine solution for there road cars. Anyway we are where we are and now it's time for the other engine suppliers to play ball with us.

[Silent Bob]

Sometimes you have no choice but to agree to certain things, especially if you are out-voted. Doesn't mean you need to be complacent and accept it. It would be one thing to say we championed the idea or lobbied for it, then we would need to suck it up. I like that Mattiaci is expressing his concerns. This is a very good idea and it can only help competition and therefore make the sport better. Being vocal worked for many years for Red Bull.

[71dino]

I have never understood the rules that prevent this... F1 is about development and reaching a pinnacle of excellence. if a team is not competitive at the beginning of the season due to a power issue that could be corrected, why not allow some minor adjustment? it would make for better racing I would think...

[wisepie]

A stupid idea to freeze engine development before the season even started, whether agreed by all the engine suppliers or not. I'm sure Merc must have been very confident to have agreed to this, maybe they were the favoured team with the FIA and the rules were forced on Ferrari and Renault even though they didn't agree wholeheartedly. It still stinks.:-s

[Hornet]

I have never understood the rules that prevent this... F1 is about development and reaching a pinnacle of excellence. if a team is not competitive at the beginning of the season due to a power issue that could be corrected, why not allow some minor adjustment? it would make for better racing I would think...

Many of the restrictive rules are a result of cost reduction, including this. The aim of the rule, in this case, is to prevent engine maker from spending too much on engine development which in turn increases it's cost.

It's not an easy problem to address though. On one hand, these cost cutting measures restricts racing and many other factors that makes F1 exciting, but on the other hand we have teams who are struggling financially every year, some to the point of finding sponsors on a race to race basis. So the need for cost control is real, the problem is how to do it without adversely affecting racing quality.

[Nova]

Hornet, yes the cost is tough for smaller teams, but my feeling is that they can
use engines from Ferrari, Merc or Reno and let the mftr's incur the development cost.
They get engines, and the engine mftr's make a bit of money from from the build
and development cost. There should be no freeze on engine development.
F1 is strangled as it is. Spec this n that, or it appears. Im having fun watching the F2
races, n that tells me something. Heck, those cars look and sound pretty good.

[steelstallions]

I have said it before, when Ferrari were the dominant team the other teams could introduce a whole new freeking car, let alone adjust an engine. IT IS NOT FORMULA ONE, when the formula was designed last year and is no longer innovative and state of the art tech on the car. Cars developed during the season, now they are last years tech with no updates!

[sweeper1101]

I always thought that the Formula was based on a balanced equation. :)

It was not brought out recently but was formulated through a series of discussion and layed out years ahead.
The only thing that was left to do before implementation was refining it to the minute detail.
Every team agreed to it. ...We just failed to deliver again which is costing us dearly...again.