In-season engine development a step closer for 2016

Formula 1’s four engine manufacturers and the FIA have agreed to continue to allow in-season engine development next season, offering both Renault and Honda a lifeline.

As Grand Prix Times reported earlier this week, representatives from Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, Honda and the FIA met on Thursday to discuss freeing up engine development which was set to become even stricter in 2016.

Token allocation was to reduce from 32 to just 25, whilst certain areas of the power unit were due to be blocked off, banning development on some key areas of the internal combustion engine.

Meanwhile all tokens were to be spent before February 28, effectively forcing manufacturers to rush through developments between now and pre-season testing.

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It has however been agreed during the meeting that in-season development should continue next year, effectively allowing tokens to be spent over the course of the season.

It’s also reported that the FIA has agreed to lift the token limit, which will remain at 32 rather than reducing to 25, according to Autosport, whilst banned development areas will remain open.

The changes will need to be agreed upon by all teams via a unanimous vote before they are officially adopted, but it’s likely customer teams, which weren’t represented at the meeting, will follow their engine suppliers decision.

Meanwhile Bernie Ecclestone’s push to allow the use of a different spec engine by Red Bull, such as a return to the V8 or a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, was unsurprisingly rejected.