Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault the only engine suppliers in F1 in 2014?
Norbert Haug believes that in 2014, Formula 1 might only have three engine manufacturers: Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault. The director of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport indeed believes that PURE and Cosworth may not be able to ensure their presence.
In 2010, the FIA allowed Cosworth to return to Formula 1, thus providing a fourth engine manufacturer alongside Ferrari, Mercedes, and Renault. However, the French manufacturer has gained momentum in recent years at Cosworth’s expense, bringing the Williams and Caterham teams under its wing.
Cosworth only supplies engines to two teams, Marussia and HRT, and according to persistent rumors, the British engine supplier might leave F1 with the arrival of the 1.6L Turbo V6, as the development costs are too significant to supply only two teams.
A fallback solution was considered at one time with the implementation of the PURE project, but the recent announcement of the suspension of its activities seems to reduce the hopes of seeing a new independent engine manufacturer enter F1.
Norbert Haug, the head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, believes that there will be only three engine manufacturers in 2014 – thus excluding Cosworth and PURE without naming them: «I suppose and I think, and I’m almost certain that we will only have three and no more than three (engine manufacturers in 2014). But with three, I think we can manage things properly.»
However, things are not that simple because the regulations allow a maximum of three clients per engine manufacturer, with Renault having obtained an exemption to supply a fourth team recently. And with 12 Formula 1 teams and only three engine manufacturers for 2014, the regulations will be forced to adapt. This situation would not displease Renault, as Jean-François Caubet had indicated.
The presence of only three engine manufacturers could also encourage Mercedes and Ferrari to supply more teams than currently – three for Ferrari (Scuderia Toro Rosso, Sauber, and Scuderia Ferrari) and as many for Mercedes (McLaren, Mercedes AMG, and Sahara Force India).
But for now, nothing has been done on that front, as Norbert Haug revealed: «We need to evaluate the situation. We are in discussions with the three manufacturers together – still on cost issues to reduce them. And it will also be a question of who will power whom.»
