Brawn: engine delays ‘a mistake’

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said it would be an error of judgement were F1 to allow the introduction of new engines to slip beyond 2014.

Amid rumours that the new hybrid V6 powerplants would not be ready for 2014, Brawn, speaking in the FIA Thursday press conference, said he believes the new engines are vital to F1 and that to push back the introduction – already postponed for a year – would be an error. “I think it would be a mistake to delay the engines again,” he said. “I think it sends a very bad message [were] Formula One,to keep changing its direction on things that are so fundamental.”

Brawn added bringing in the new technology would revitalize participation in F1. “We’ve got to change the engine at some stage: we will become irrelevant with the engine if we don’t. The world’s changing and I think the new engine is a far more relevant engine for Formula One for the future. If we’re going to get new manufacturers into Formula One, which I think is a good thing, then why will they come in to build an antique V8 engine? They won’t. They will only come in with this new engine, so we want to attract manufacturers back into Formula One and this new engine is very important.”

Brawn’s opinion was echoed by that of Renault Sport F1 chief Jean-Francois Caubet. “I think we are very clear: we have already delayed the engine once, from four cylinder to go to six cylinders. I think it cost us around €10-15million, probably the same for Mercedes and probably the same for Ferrari, so we have blown nearly €50million for nothing. If you delay one year, we think it will be never – because the delay will be 2015 and then 2016.

"For Renault, it is a strategic choice. I think the V8 was developed 25 years ago and I share the same opinion as Ross: if we need to have some new car makers, only the new engine will open the door to new car makers. The last point is a key point: to have a Formula One in 2014 with the old engine will close the door to a lot of sponsors and new technologies. I think we have a clear strategy, I think it would be impossible to change our minds.”