In the meeting of the Formula 1 Commission to be held this week in Bologna, one of the topics on the agenda will be the management of the power units.
At the end of the 2022 season, only five of the twenty drivers on the track (all powered by Mercedes) managed to reach the last checkered flag of the year without running into engine-related penalties.
For some drivers, the elements used to complete the twenty-two races held were more than double those allowed by the regulations, confirming a scenario that sees the limit imposed by the FIA as too restrictive.
But is it really just a reliability problem or is it also a strategy of some teams?
According to more than one technical director, exceeding the quota of the three power units in some cases is more a strategic question than a real necessity, especially in the case of those involved in head-to-head in the general classification.
“If you play on the cents – an engineer confided to Motorsport.com – a fresh power unit on certain tracks is important. That’s why the stage before the weekend on the motor circuits we see many changes. Then, of course, there are also those who change out of necessity…”
The FIA is evaluating how to make the regulation more understandable to the general public, who on some occasions (such as the last Italian Grand Prix) found themselves with a starting grid that had little to do with the outcome of qualifying.
There are several proposals on the table, such as the inclusion of a penalty to be served in the race with time spent at the pit stop instead of the grid penalty, as well as the withdrawal of the old component in conjunction with the use of a new one .
The goal is to include deterrents in the regulation, capable of limiting the use of multiple power units, but at the same time the International Federation wants to safeguard those who are victims of unfortunate circumstances.
In fact, on the agenda is the comparison of a criterion for replacing components damaged in accidents, which should be less burdensome than a change linked to reliability problems.
It also seems very probable that the increase in races on the calendar, combined with more restrictive criteria regarding replacements, could lead to the availability of four power units per season, a goal achieved in 2022 only by the eight Mercedes-powered single-seaters plus Pierre’s AlphaTauri Gasly.
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