Engine loophole is a big chance for F1

After months of arguing, political manoeuvring and a bit of media spin-doctoring, in the end Mercedes' rivals got exactly what they wanted with the recent green light from the FIA for in-season engine development in 2015.

The governing body accepted there was too much ambiguity in the engine rules to force manufacturers to homologate new engines at the first race.

The decision, which the FIA said was the most 'logical and robust' that it could come up with in light of claims that there was no date laid down to deliver 2015 engines, has given Ferrari and Renault a glimmer of hope now there's time to bring the upgrades they know are needed to close the gap to Mercedes.

Of course, nothing in Formula 1 is ever simple. And while the instant response is that the rule interpretation is a boost to Mercedes' rivals, we cannot rule out the German car maker being the one that comes out of this laughing.

After all, there's nothing to suggest that Mercedes can't unleash yet more horses from its already dominant power unit. And who's to say there won't be a Spanish Grand Prix upgrade that pulls it even further ahead than it will likely be at the start of the campaign?

Of course, the decision to allow in-season development is not aimed at helping one manufacturer over another; it's come about for pragmatic reasons (and ultimately because the FIA did not want to risk a rules challenge in court).

However, while there will be winners and losers on track - and Honda in particular knows it faces a season where it could fall back as others improve - the relaxing of the freeze will have wider benefits for all of F1.

Mercedes didn't get the credit it deserved for dominating the first year of the new era © LAT

One of the biggest missed opportunities last year was that the sport as a whole failed to promote the benefits and brilliance of grand prix racing's new engine technology.

The improved fuel efficiency and the complexities and impact of bigger hybrid systems were overshadowed by negativity surrounding the sound.

Plus, the fact that one manufacturer had a big advantage and its rivals were unable to do anything technically to respond thanks to the development freeze meant that engines became an area of annoyance rather than one to get excited about.

All that has changed, for by changing the timeframe, if not the ultimate scope of upgrades, means there should be a better narrative of performance. Fans will be better able to understand the steps that have been made, plus there is always the opportunity for the advantage in the performance battle to swing between different teams.

Core to F1's attraction over the years has been technical innovation: a performance advantage comes from the best designers having the best ideas and the best interpretation of the rules to come up with the best cars.

F1's bosses wouldn't dream of putting a total freeze on aerodynamic development, because the sport has always known it's important that there's the potential for the competitive order to change.

And for all the plaudits that Mercedes deserves for having produced an engine that was so far ahead of the rest of the grid last year, what 2014's 16 Silver Arrows wins showed was what can happen if one area of a car becomes dominant, and rivals are unable to respond.

But even if Mercedes finds that its advantage is closed down this season because the others have got more time to catch up, there may well be secondary benefits to the fact that engine development is now a bit freer.

For a start, there is now no justification for its rivals to complain that the rules have left their hands tied. Ferrari and Renault have got everything they asked for - so the ball is in their court to ensure that their engines are better.

The fact that engine upgrades are now possible should also allow greater insight into what makes a successful power unit, and certainly more intrigue about what areas are key to success. We could even come to appreciate better the job Mercedes has done.

The first significant move of the 2015 battleground may not be universally popular, but its impact will be far reaching - and not just inside the walls of Maranello or Viry-Chatillon.