F1 teams 'need to debate' engine penalties - Marcin Budkowski

Alpine

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F1 teams 'need to debate' engine penalties - Budkowski

An increasing number of drivers are receiving penalties at each weekend

Sam Hall

Sunday 31 October 2021 15:24

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Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski believes Formula 1 teams must "debate" the strict engine regulations to explore better penalty options.

Across the last three races, half the field have been handed grid penalties for exceeding the number of components prescribed to last the season.

Included in this number are title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen whilst Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas stung three times for the season in total.

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This year, teams are limited to three internal combustion engines [ICE], turbochargers [TC], motor-generator unit heat [MGU-H] and motor-generator unit kinetic [MGU-K] as well as two energy stores [ES] and control electronics [CE] units.

Having spent time working for F1 and the FIA between stints at McLaren and Alpine, Budkowski has experience on both sides of the fence.

As such, he explained that were the rules to be relaxed to allow an extra power unit per season, teams would likely take bigger risks and still face similar penalty problems.

"If we had four and three rather than three and two we would see rather fewer penalties," Budkowski said.

"But equally then would people design engines and take more risks, and would they have to introduce a fifth one. It's neverending.

"You have to draw the line somewhere.

"Arguably four and three would be more adapted to this season, we would have seen fewer penalties.

"But it's a debate we need to have in the F1 Commission and those kinds of institutions to where do we want to place the cursor."

Are F1 engine penalties spoiling the show?

In the United States, four drivers were penalised including Alpine's Fernando Alonso.

Asked if such penalties are 'ruining the show', Budkowski added: "It's a subjective point.

"Some people hate grid penalties. I haven't met a fan of grid penalties yet.

"But having been on the other side of the fence at the FIA, and then with a team, I looked for years for an alternative better than the current one and I haven't found one.

"It doesn't mean there isn't one."