Red Bull boss Christian Horner has backed calls for the FIA to get tougher on oil burn, and believes the activity makes a mockery of Formula 1’s environmentally-friendly push.
Oil burn has been an issue all season, and the FIA has been working hard to clamp down on teams being able to get a power boost from it.
From the start of next year, teams will only be allowed to burn 0.6 litres of oil per 100 kilometres, but McLaren said over the Japanese Grand Prix weekend that it believed even this level was too high.
Horner, whose Red Bull team’s engine partner Renault is believed to be exploiting oil burn as much as Ferrari and Mercedes, questioned why F1 made an effort to introduce turbo hybrids if the engines then burn oil in an inefficient way.
“Burning 4kg of oil in a race, it’s almost a diesel engine,” said Horner.
“It goes against what the concept of this eco-friendly hybrid formula is.
“I think the reality is it would be better to see it addressed properly, and take away the uncertainty.
“I know other teams are particularly upset about what they perceive as oil burning, particularly during qualifying.”
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier reiterated his belief that the FIA should get tougher on the oil burn situation, rather than giving teams leeway.
“I know the FIA and Charlie [Whiting] are working very hard to try to close the loophole because there’s not a clear definition of oil in the FIA regulations, but I don’t know if it’s going to be enough,” said Boullier.
“We have to also clamp [down on] this oil consumption, which would be at the end closing the loophole for next year.
“I think the restriction may [need to] be a bit higher than it is planned to be today.”