Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer "reacted positively" to the initial announcement made by FIA and Formula One Management which revealed their initial vision for the sport post-'20, according to PLANET F1. Aston Martin has already stepped up its involvement within Formula 1, "employing staff with experience working for Ferrari and becoming a title sponsor for Red Bull next season." Although there has been some criticism for the key features of the '21 blueprint, Aston Martin will "continue to monitor the situation and be a part of the ongoing discussion." Palmer: "Aston Martin attended the recent FIA meeting and has been deeply involved through its submissions on potential solutions. ... The key will be how development costs are controlled to make participation by independent engine suppliers a viable possibility" (PLANET F1, 11/1).
CASTING DOUBT: The BBC's Andrew Benson reported Mercedes "cast doubt" on the new engine regulations proposed for F1 in '21. Mercedes Motorsport Dir Toto Wolff said that he has "strong scepticism" about whether the ideas are the right way forward. He said, "This is their vision and proposal and we haven't accepted it. The flaw of the concept is that it's a completely new engine and new investment." FIA and F1 have proposed keeping the current engine architecture of a 1.6-liter turbo V6 hybrid but "removing one of the two hybrid elements." Wolff said that he was "surprised" that FIA published so much detail on the new engine when the manufacturers had been told in a meeting on the same day that the plans were "a proposal of a vision for 2021" that would be subject to further discussion and refinement at F1's various rule-making entities (BBC, 11/1).
