Red Bull Racing patiently awaits the decision of F1 Commission for the coming week as Stefano Domenicalli urges teams to help in freeze step.
After an apparent miss-communication with regards to a vote on engine freeze decision, Red Bull is set to get its answers on February 11 when the F1 Commission sits to discuss the matter along with other important topics regards to 2021 and beyond.
As per the German publication AMuS, Red Bull is likely to get a positive news of a freeze – certainly with a compromise – as the engine regulations change is to be preponed to 2025 instead of 2026. It will help the F1 team to buy the Honda IP and compete.
The report notes that this is only a temporary solution amid speculation of Audi finally stepping in under new regulations. It stated that Honda thought it may lead to its IP being shared with the German manufacturer via Red Bull but it isn’t the case.
They felt, should Audi come in as an engine manufacturer, partnering with Red Bull will be an obvious step. The freeze, meanwhile, will come in from 2022, but it looks like the real application will only be seen in 2023 where F1 teams will use the 2022 version.
They will also have the biofuel introduced by then. Should everything go as per plans, it will then by two seasons of engine freeze i.e 2023 and 2024. It seems like every manufacturer – Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda – will have a new power unit for 2021 F1 season.
There won’t be a Balance of Performance system though, which is not in the DNA of F1. However, the FIA may have a ruling of helping manufacturers who are not within the 20 HP difference from the best. How they are to implement that remains a question.
AMuS talks of two ideas where one is for the quicker cars to have higher fuel to use, while the other is to allow the lagging manufacturers to develop and reach around the 20 HP difference mark. More clarity should come after the meeting on the desired course.
Amid the engine talks, new F1 CEO Domenicali urged the teams to unite in the freeze step, which will help in cost reduction and also pave way for the 2025 engine regulations. “For sure the anticipation of the freeze of the engine is a very important point,” he said to media including F1, Motorsport Network, Racefans.net, BBC and more earlier in the week.
“But I don’t want to say only for Red Bull. It is for the entire F1 because, as you know today, the actual regulation and freezing is based on 2023. We want to anticipate the freeze because we want to save money to make sure that the manufacturers and teams can invest in the new engine.
“And on the one side, that is a priority for a lot of the manufacturers. The discussions that are in place are going in the right direction. I don’t want to anticipate anything, but I’m confident that everyone will understand the importance of these things happening.
“It is something that is at the centre of the discussion in that meeting. And I’m hoping that everyone realises that is the best choice, for not only for Red Bull, but for the entire world of F1,” summed up Domenicali.
Here’s James Allison on Mercedes engine work
Here’s Stefano Domenicali on weekend format, etc
Here’s Stefano Domenicali on news OEM and Ferrari
Here’s Sergio Perez on Max Verstappen challenge
