Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

How MotoGP's concessions system will work in 850cc new era

MotoGP
How MotoGP's concessions system will work in 850cc new era

BTCC Donington Park: Ingram leads Cook and Plato Mercedes pair in practice; 2027 calendar revealed

BTCC
Donington Park (National Circuit)
BTCC Donington Park: Ingram leads Cook and Plato Mercedes pair in practice; 2027 calendar revealed

How a BTCC support series demonstrates British single-seaters’ turnaround in fortunes

Feature
National
How a BTCC support series demonstrates British single-seaters’ turnaround in fortunes

IMSA Long Beach: Yelloly tops qualifying for Meyer Shank, Wickens lands GTD pole after Lexus penalty

IMSA
Long Beach
IMSA Long Beach: Yelloly tops qualifying for Meyer Shank, Wickens lands GTD pole after Lexus penalty

Nurburgring 24h Qualifiers: BMW on pole, Verstappen's Mercedes penalised

Endurance
Nurburgring 24h Qualifiers: BMW on pole, Verstappen's Mercedes penalised

F1’s long-term future could suit Verstappen – but will it come soon enough?

Formula 1
F1’s long-term future could suit Verstappen – but will it come soon enough?

The ambition behind an ‘insane’ racing opportunity

Feature
National
The ambition behind an ‘insane’ racing opportunity

Tanak involved in Toyota's development of its WRC 2027 car

WRC
Rally Croatia
Tanak involved in Toyota's development of its WRC 2027 car

Jean Todt adamant 2017 Formula 1 rules will be finalised this month

FIA president Jean Todt is adamant the 2017 Formula 1 sporting and technical regulations will be decided by the revised date of April 30

The original deadline of February 29 was pushed back as lengthy discussions took place regarding power units and aero changes.

The aero regulations are said to be close to being finalised, with the bodywork changes for more dramatic-looking cars already approved last month.

But there is still some work to be done on the engine rules, with cost, performance, noise and supply of power units the focus.

"The final regulations will be decided by 30 April," said Todt, who added that only a majority rather unanimity is required to push the rules through.

"At the last meeting we had, I asked the engine manufacturers to drop the price of the engine to make sure every competitor in F1 will have the possibility of having one engine supplied.

"We have also asked them to agree on engine convergence and to make some proposals to increase further, as it already has been one step, the noise of the engine.

"As we did not have a proposal which was satisfactory, we unanimously agreed to delay the introduction of the 2017 regulations to the 30 April."

There has been a desire to make the cars significantly faster next year but that has caused concern among drivers who feel that will make it tougher to overtake.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting believes those involved have done the best they can to take everyone's views into account to come up with a set of rules.

"We have had countless meetings with technical directors of every team and we have had a range of proposals [ranging] from what appears to be a huge amount of downforce to a very low level of downforce," he said.

"But it's all based on the premise that we have a significant increase in mechanical grip so what we have ended up with is somewhere in the middle.

"It's incorrect to say the anticipated laptime improvement will all come from downforce because it simply shouldn't.

"The idea is half will come from mechanical grip and the other half from aerodynamic downforce.

"One of the things we have been talking all along is the fact we shouldn't make it more difficult to follow another car.

"We've done the best we can, I believe, given we have to take everyone's views into account."

Previous article Fernando Alonso expects green light for China, McLaren plans tests
Next article Mercedes working with Daimler to fix F1 start problems

Top Comments