Formula 1 execs will discuss ways to "improve security at grands prix following a series of problems outside Brazil's circuit" over the weekend, according to Andrew Benson of the BBC. Mercedes personnel were robbed at gunpoint on Friday night "and a number of other vehicles had near misses" in São Paulo at the Brazilian Grand Prix. FIA "commissioned reports into the incidents from F1." These will be discussed at the next meeting of F1's legislative body, the FIA World Council, on Dec. 6. F1 Group and FIA said in a joint statement, "Security is a co-operative effort, and the FIA will seek to work closely with F1 and all its stakeholders to maintain a safe environment for everyone working at or visiting F1 events" (BBC, 11/15).
LOOKING AHEAD: Benson also reported F1 Managing Dir Ross Brawn "defended plans to introduce a new, simpler, louder engine" in '21, saying, "We can't leave it as it is." F1 car manufacturers "have objected to the proposal" made last month by the F1 Group and FIA. But Brawn said that it "is necessary to safeguard the future of the sport." Brawn: "The current engine is an incredible piece of engineering but it's not a great racing engine. It is very expensive, it doesn't make any noise, it has componentry that in order to control the number of uses is creating grid penalties that make a farce of F1, there are big differentials of performance between the competitors and we are never going to get anyone else to come in and make engines" (BBC, 11/15).
