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Originally Posted by wolfhound
Mike I read that article I find it interesting that Bernie is now calling for low cost power units but he backed Ferrari in opposing a cost cap on the existing power units.
I wonder will Ferrari veto the new proposal for low cost engines?
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I am not sure where you got the information from that BCE supported Ferrari in not being in favour of a cost cap on the power-units? Ferrari's position was made clear a short while ago that, according to Marchionne I think it was, they were not prepared to sell/lease their units at a price that was below their production cost. It may be that BCE was sympathetic to that viewpoint.
There are a number of issues surrounding this conundrum that need looking at. Mercedes, when this package was first mandated some years ago, decided to throw the kitchen sink at it, and drafted in engineers from all parts of it's structure to come up with the perfect solution. Money was almost no object because their management could see that there could/would be benefits to the whole of it's business in the long term as there would be cross-fertilisation of ideas/designs with it's road vehicles.
Ferrari and Renault, on the other hand, have seemed to have only looked upon the F1 PSUs in isolation for their use in motor-racing. Although Ferrari have developed one or more hybrid road cars, I believe, their business doesn't rely on them to survive; like other supercar builders, they have only used the technology to try beat their rivals, really. It's more about bragging rights.
Renault is difficult to understand. They were the driving force behind this move to a hybrid system, but I think that they took their eyes off the ball whilst it was going through the planning stages. In reality, all they wanted was a small block 4 cylinder ICE with turbos which would compliment, or have been sourced from, it's road going cars. However, because of budgetary restraints within the comapany, they were severely constrained in their development of their PSU.
In their last meeting of the Stategy Group, BCE and Todt actually joined forces to table the PSU cost cap, and in a vote, it was approved by the majority of the teams. Then Ferrari vetoed it.
Now, if the FIA mandates that a second tier power-unit will be allowed, I believe that it is the intention of the ruling body to ignore Ferrari's veto if it comes to that point. Ferrari, in my view however, would be foolish to use their power of veto twice on this subject, and now that it is partly a public company, it has to be seen as behaving in the best interest of it's shareholders; it cannot be deemed to be a pariah.