The Monza weekend has come and gone, and while Formula 1 is a buzz of opinions in the course of all the action on the track, the big guys from the engine suppliers met in the boardroom.
Together they tried to pave a way forward for the next generation of F1 PU units, but it seems Mercedes is on a mission to stifle progress unless it happens on their own terms.
Since all parties except Mercedes were finally ready to adopt a future PU architecture without complex and expensive MGU-H elements, Daimler boss Ola Kallenius was reluctantly forced to agree to the omission in principle, but only on the condition that other specific concessions were made are made to appease Mercedes as they appear to be holding a gun to the head of the process.
We shouldn’t be mistaken, the biggest obstacle on Formula 1’s path to a consensus on the future of Formula 1 engines, the involvement of the VW Group as a supplier and even the timeframe for the change is Mercedes.
Omitting the MGU-H elements not only reduces complexity and costs, but also enables regenerative motors to be used on the front axles and leads to louder combustion engines.
The meeting also included discussions about the following opportunities for future PUs:
- The possibility of introducing a standardized six-cylinder block with a free cylinder head and combustion chamber design in order to reduce construction time and entry costs for new suppliers
- A stronger emphasis on the use of biofuels in the ICE, which theoretically allows a lowering of the fuel flow limits
- An increase in ERS power from 120 to 350 kW
- The separation of PU manufacturers and manufacturers of the world design championship in order to better contain the financial cost containment of the WCC teams
Mercedes has stipulated that if they are willing to comply with their general agreement to forego the MGU-H technology, they must make the following concessions:
- That all new suppliers are responsible for paying a commitment fee for the right to be a new F1 PU supplier
- That Red Bull Powertrains is not recognized as an existing, but as a new PU supplier and that the fee is to be paid by them
- That the current Concorde agreement will be extended by at least 12 months, which effectively gives the FIA and F1 the opportunity to formulate new PU regulations unilaterally without consultation for this period
In considering Mercedes’s claims, it’s important to recognize at the same time that Mercedes was the last and most reluctant to sign the current Concorde deal in 2020, on the grounds that its best interests did not benefit from the lower entry fees to Formula 1 for potential New additions that were proposed at the time.
Even more interesting are current rumors that Saudi interests may be ready to buy Formula 1 from Liberty, and it is very likely that the Saudi way of doing business doesn’t work well with ultimatums and bullish tactics.
It seems like Formula 1 is actually at an important crossroads of power at this point, pardon the pun.
The post Tech Draft: Mercedes holds all aces in the F1-PU future first appeared on monter-une-startup.
