Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said that F1's plan "to introduce an alternative engine from 2017 ultimately comes down to a question of who runs the sport," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. Horner: "I think it's about who controls Formula One. At the moment you've got two very powerful engine manufacturers that are working closely together and then you've got the promoter and governing body and the engine is the catalyst of that. I think Jean (Todt) and Bernie (Ecclestone) are trying to get control of the sport back through the introduction of a cost-effective available engine." FIA "has sought expressions of interest ahead of a tender for a standard engine that would be cheaper and simpler than those offered by the main manufacturers."
The engine, which has yet to be approved by the Formula One commission, "would be available as an alternative to the costly 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrids" (REUTERS, 11/15).
TIRE TRACKS: FOX SPORTS reported a move to make F1 cars five seconds per lap faster from the start of '17 "may have to be reconsidered after Mercedes expressed safety concerns."
The dominant constructors of the last two seasons "gave a report to a meeting of F1 technical directors last week." The report detailed "what the consequences of the move could be, with suspicions that aerodynamic updates to speed up the cars will be too much for Pirelli’s tyres to deal with."
The tire manufacturer responded by suggesting a full-scale '17 testing program "will be required to properly investigate the claims" (FOX SPORTS, 11/16).
