A radical overhaul of the technical regulations looks certain to be delayed until 2017 following an F1 Commission vote on Tuesday in Geneva.
The commission met to discuss what should be changed and when. Opinion on which year the regulation changes should come into effect was split, with Red Bull and Mercedes known to be on opposing sides.
Whilst Red Bull are keen to see fewer aerodynamic restrictions, wider tyres and wider cars for 2016, Mercedes believes it would be best to delay the proposal until 2017, giving additional time to research exactly what affect the changes will have.
Tuesday’s vote went in Mercedes favour and therefore the wholesale changes will likely come into effect at the same time as the proposed increase in engine output to 1000bhp, as well as the tender for a new tyre supplier which happens in 2017.
That means next year will see relatively stable regulations as any changes to the rules after March 1st requires unanimous support.
The next step for the commission is to begin drafting the new technical regulations for 2017. The changes are expected to have a dramatic impact on how the cars look and handle.
Ferrari are keen to see futuristic F1 cars when the rules are drawn up. The team released renders of a concept car on Tuesday which it hopes will influence the regulation makers when it comes to the initial drafting phase.
McLaren and Red Bull are also in favour of a radical look, with both teams also designing concepts which were shared during Tuesday’s meeting. However unlike Ferrari, they haven’t been made public.
