Formula 1's governing body "sees no going back on a tightening of the engine rules" that Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner called "barking mad," according to Abhishek Takle of REUTERS. Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ended a season "littered with engine-related grid penalties" and some teams have "questioned the sense of reducing a driver's allocation from four power units to three next season." FIA President Jean Todt said that the teams have "only themselves to blame." Todt: "It's not something new, it was decided years ago. To change, to decide now let's go back to four engines, we need unanimous agreement. And we don't get unanimous agreement, so we have three engines." Horner said, "For me, it's absolutely barking mad. We've only just got through this year on six engines, I think. To go to three next year for more races is nutty, to be honest" (REUTERS, 11/27).
'CHANGE THIS TRACK': The PA's Philip Duncan reported Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton called for changes to F1's season-ending fixture in Abu Dhabi after a "lacklustre conclusion to his world championship-winning campaign." Abu Dhabi has become the stage for F1's season finale "and it is one played out against the backdrop of a scenic harbour and thousands of floodlights." But the 3.4-mile Yas Marina track is "notable for its lack of action." Hamilton said, "They've got to change this track. It's just impossible to overtake. You have to have a 1.4-second advantage on the car in front. Valtteri [Bottas] and I have got the same car, and there's not 1.4 seconds between us in ability" (PA, 11/27).
