Formula 1's Ross Brawn: Cheaper, louder, and simpler engine idea 'ambitious'

Liberty Media

Brawn: Cheaper, louder, and simpler engine idea 'ambitious'

It might happen, just not as first imagined.

Martin Macdonald

Tuesday 26 March 2019 13:38

Ross Brawn has admitted that the original idea of having ‘cheaper, louder, and simpler’ engines as part of the proposed 2021 regulation changes was ‘ambitious’ but does think it will come to fruition even if not to the same extent as first thought.

This idea was originally presented by Liberty Media to try and attract more engine manufacturers, including Porsche, to the sport. However, the four main current suppliers - Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, and Honda - were opposed to the idea.

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Brawn still hopes to see the plan in place in some form, but has recognised the compromises made by the teams.

"In that case I was perhaps a bit more ambitious in terms of the changes that could have been made," Brawn told Autosport.

"But when the arguments were presented they were well presented, the models were well presented, and the examples were given.

"I think we will have cheaper, simpler, louder, it's just a question of degree.

"There's a very strong argument that we have four reasonably settled suppliers in F1. Whilst there's people looking at coming in, they weren't as committed, so therefore let's consolidate what we have.

"The MGU-H was a big thing. I think if a manufacturer is coming in or not coming in just because it had or hasn't got an MGU-H it seems a bit fickle."

Brawn says that although it is a priority to have more suppliers in F1, it is equally as important to retain current suppliers.

"The engine is a tricky one, more so perhaps than the car you're sensitive to outside suppliers, you're sensitive to engine suppliers," the F1 managing director continued.

"We don't want to lose a team, but if we lose a team then hopefully F1 is attractive enough to find replacements.

"If we lose an engine then anyone stepping in has a massive programme to step in and fill their place. And if we lose an engine it impacts two or three teams. I think it was correct to push hard to see where we can get to.

"There will be some changes that you'll see - we're not going to talk about them now - which will come out in the next few months which I think definitely are strongly in the right direction."