Formula 1 engine penalties set to change after Strategy Group talks

Formula 1's controversial engine-change grid penalty system is set for revisions following a review of the current set-up at this week's Strategy Group meeting

Penalties for exceeding a driver's engine allocation this year have been declared too harsh by some teams, particularly when a driver is penalised more positions than it is possible to drop on the 20-car grid.

At the moment, when a driver cannot drop the full allocation of positions, he can face a further time penalty in the race, or even a stop/go, as Jenson Button had to serve in the early laps of the Austrian Grand Prix.

But AUTOSPORT understands the Strategy Group wants the toughest penalty to be that cars are moved to the back of the grid.

This proposal will be voted on by the F1 Commission (most likely by fax) before being sent to the upcoming FIA World Motor Sport Council in Mexico City for ratification.

Also set for discussion at the WMSC will be a proposal to further reduce the amount of driver guidance teams are allowed to give.

Restrictions were put in place late last year on how much information teams could give their drivers from the pitwall, but plans to limit radio traffic further were scrapped on the eve of the 2015 season.

The Strategy Group also maintained the position the teams' stance against a return of in-race refuelling, a subject that was brought back into the spotlight by the release of results from F1 fan surveys this week.

Efforts to make the current generation of F1 engines louder will continue, with potential rule changes being discussed that could involve changes to the wastegate on the 1.6-litre turbocharged power units.

On the subject of discussions to increase the speed of F1 cars by at least six seconds for 2017, the FIA plans to ask the teams to submit their ideas and concepts for how this could be achieved.