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Renault has called for a freeze on Formula 1 engine development during the 2019-2020 seasons before new regulations are introduced.
It believes such a move would allow the four current suppliers to focus fully on preparing for the new F1 regulations, and not hand an advantage to any new entrants who can devote all their resources to 2021 projects.
Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul said he wants a “logical and fair” freeze in the future rules package proposals that F1’s bosses will reveal in full to teams during next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
“The one thing we will not want to do is to have the burden of developing two engines in parallel,” Abiteboul told Autosport.
“There are two things basically in our key message and position at Renault: first, before committing to a regulation, we need to understand the bigger picture.
“And secondly, we don’t see it’s acceptable or sustainable to have to work on two engines in parallel at the same time, for the simple reason that if there was to be a new entrant, which is what we wish, he will have a fantastic advantage in being able to focus on the future, and not to have to worry about the present and the customers.”
Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko believes that the FIA should try to equalise engine performance for the last two years of the current formula.
“If new engine rules are coming, then we have to freeze the engines as they are now,” Marko told Autosport.
“And there should be a rule that every engine has to be within 3%.
“Then we can live until 2020. Nobody has to make development on these engines, and that’s the way to go.”
F1 previously introduced an engine specification freeze at the start of the 2007 season, which remained until the end of the 2.4-litre V8 era in 2013, although the regulations allowed changes to be made with permission from the FIA in certain situations.
Engine specs were also frozen for the first year of the V6 hybrids in 2014, though this was relaxed in ’15 and free development is now permitted again.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner argued that even if power levels were equalised, the current pacesetting manufacturers could still have an advantage on consumption, and hence fuel weight.
“In an ideal world if you want manufacturers to get involved in a new engine for 2021, and not have them incur large development costs between now and then, some form of BoP – Balance of Power – ideally through fuel flow, could be a sensible route,” Horner told Autosport.
“That way, those that have done a better job would retain an advantage because they would use less fuel, and would be starting the race with a lighter car. But the power could create more interesting races.”