Honda suggest F1 engine rule change as Red Bull ponder penalty strategy
The Japanese manufacturer con▨firmed on Thursday that Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have lost their second engines of the season due to recent crash damage, which is likely to result in grid penalties later in the season.
While Perez’s power unit has been completely written off after hisಞ collision in Hungary, Honda believ꧂es it now may be able to salvage Verstappen’s engine that was damaged in his Silverstone crash, but not without incurring penalties for breaking the seal.
“For Max’s PU we decided we cannot use it in the ra🍷cing,” Tanabeꦡ explained on Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix. “Checo’s one is completely destroyed.
“In the case of Max’s one, we are not sure whether if൲ we replace the parts maybe we can use it as normal. But from a safety point of view the cu𒐪rrent damage is a little bit too big to use it in racing.
“In the current🔴 PU regulations we cannot change parts which are sealed by the FIA. So unfortunately we want to change parts which are sealed.
“Of course we🌺 at Honda respect the PU regulations, which is based on long experi🐠ence. But looking at our situation I think there is room to reconsider the regulation.”
Tanabe said a meeting involving representatives from the teams, power unit manufacturers and FIA could be used as a way to determine whethe෴r repairs should be permitted without incurring a penalty.
“I think it is possible to enquire to discuss about a parts change,” Tanabe continued.
“Then we can review the accident,🎉 we can check impact data, we can check chassis damage, we can check PU damage and then altogether we can discuss about the parts change request from PU manufactꩵurers.
“Consideri💝ng the current economic situation, also the sustainability of this sport, I think we have room ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚto consider that type of thing. Anyway, we respect the regulation very much.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said his s🃏ide is waiting to find out how the rest of the 2021 F1 cal𓂃endar will look before deciding where his drivers will take a fourth power unit and subsequent grid drop.
F1 still hopes to stage 12 races before the end of the year to meet its original 23-round target but th🦩ere are doubts over the viability of races in Turkey, Mexico and Brazil following a number of revisions to the schedule already.
“Of course we will have to take penalties ꦜlater in the year,” Horner told Sky Sports F1. “It’s a question of strategically when do we take those. I think we’ll wait to see exactly what the calendar evolution looks like as well.
“You’ve got to pick yoไur moments strategically to do that, do you do it early, or do you do it a bit later, or pick a time🅰 where you maybe have a bad session and that’s the time to effect the change.”
Spa has traditionally been used as a venue to take tactical engine penalties in the past, though an uncertain weather picture for the re⭕st of the Belgian GP weekend is cr𝔍eating an additional headache.
“It’s an open circuit, you can overtake here, but at the same time, if you qualify well, do you want to be in the mist and spray?” Horn💞er said.
“We saw the danger of being in a damp race at the last weekend. So, it🐟’s something we’re constantly evaluating and constantly looking at.
“I think🐠 so ꩵlong as you’re flexible with it, the right opportunity will present itself.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix🍃 for mahbx.com around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
