According to Autosport, Chase Carey, Ross Brawn and Jean Todt, along with team principals, held a lengthy conference call meeting on Tuesday as they discussed various topics.
There was already an agreement in place that the 2020 cars will be used again next year, but talks have been taking place to try and sort out which parts will be frozen going into 2021 and which parts can continue to be developed. Cutting development costs is a priority.
On Tuesday, the F1 team principals, Chase Carey and Ross Brown met over the phone to discuss the sport’s next steps in the short and medium-term. In order to reduce costs, it is necessary to limit the development of some areas of the car and, given that each team has different shortcomings to promote, it seems that they would have reached an agreement to recover a token system that allows each structure to decide which sectors of the car to develop and which to leave as they are.
This system would join the already confirmed freeze on chassis development for the remain of this and next season. It would also add to a possible reduction in wind tunnel hours and aerodynamic simulations.
‘‘During yesterday’s phone conference, a token system gained support and it was agreed that a significant percentage of the overall 2020 package will be frozen until the end of 2021 and that teams will have a set number of development tokens to deploy in the specific areas that they want to change.” Read Autosport note.
Under discussion yesterday was the cost cap, too. According to AMuS (Auto Motor und Sport), a proposal was put forward where there would be a three-step reduction for the budget cap: it would drop from $150m to $120m.
Whilst Ferrari and Red Bull don’t want it below $150m due to both teams supplying parts to teams such as Haas and Alpha Tauri, the smaller squads may need a bigger reduction to survive. Talks will continue.
No further delay on new technical regulations say F1 and the FIA
Despite some suggestions that the sweeping new rules that were due to come in next year could be delayed even further until 2023, due to the coronavirus and potential financial problems, it was agreed that they wouldn’t be postponed for another year and they’ll happen for the 2022 season.
Recently Formula 1 announced an extension of the factory shutdown from the current three weeks is also confirmed, as any potential start of the season appears to be getting later, following the postponement of the Canadian Grand Prix which was set for June 12th to the 14th.
