We are down to three engines - FIA President

FIA President Jean Todt has confirmed that, despite plenty of arguments against the idea, Formula One will go ahead with the proposed plans to limit the number of engines allowed for teams during a season to three, even if this will result in an increase in grid penalties.

The plans are set to be put in place for the start of the 2018 season in March, but there have been plenty of critics of the idea. Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been outspoken against the plans, even calling them "barking mad" earlier this year.

However, Todt has assured that the three-engine limit will stand unless every single team is opposed.

"It is something that was decided," explained Todt. "Some people are still thinking, why don't we have one engine for the whole championship?

"It is not something that is new. It was decided years ago for 2018.

"We had some meetings with teams and the way the regulations are made and the governance are made, to decide now to go back to four engines, or let's go back, we need to be in 100% agreement.

"And we don't get 100% agreement, so we are down to three engines."

Todt confessed that the main reason for the new limit was that the previous rules were making it far too expensive for teams to constantly replace engine parts, which meant that smaller teams could not compete financially and in car performance.

"I don't feel it is easy to find the right solution," he continued.

"If you don't do anything - it will be more expensive to buy the engines.

"For the FIA to decide that you don't have limited amount of engines, it won't be a problem, but it would be a problem for the competitors."

The FIA president has previously lamented the number of grid penalties which were being given to drivers, but Horner has insisted that the new engine rules will only lead to a lot more fines.

"There will be plenty of grid penalties next year and what you would hate to have is a championship decided on grid penalties," said the Red Bull boss.

"We are getting to the point where with 21 races for three engines - it is nuts really."