AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost says Formula 1 teams will save a huge amount of money from the decision to delay rule changes until 2022.
With the first eight races of this season now either cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus, F1 was forced to take action amid big concerns over the financial impact on smaller teams due to the loss of revenue.
And though there are still questions being asked as more Grand Prix’s could potentially face the axe, instead, a year that was set to be the most expensive ever for F1 outfits may actually end up being one of the cheapest.
“There are two sides to every coin,” Tost said speaking to Autosport.
“The good thing about the coronavirus story is that we don’t have to do double development this year because we can’t develop the car for 2022 until the beginning of 2021.
“That also means 2021 development will now happen under the umbrella of the ($175m) budget cap.
“[That is] a very important point because it saves a lot of money. It means that double development at a high-cost level is no longer necessary.”
Asked how the FIA can police the ban on 2022 car development, Tost revealed: “The FIA controls the wind tunnel and gets video recordings and pictures of the wind tunnel.
“That means you can’t put a 2022 car in the wind tunnel because it looks completely different. You would see that immediately.
“The FIA can ask for pictures of which car is in the wind tunnel right now and they can check which model has been tested.
“No team can afford to mess with the rule keepers. No team can do that because far too many people are involved.
“When a model goes into the wind tunnel, the model makers are the first ones involved, followed by the guys who operate the wind tunnel.
“That’s at least 10 people who would know about it. Nobody will accept such a risk.”
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In addition to the delay in developing the all-new designs, limits have also been placed on upgrading the current cars to try and reduce cost.
“The chassis will be homologated. The mechanical parts, too, such as the suspension,” the AlphaTauri chief explained.
“The only thing that can be improved is the aerodynamics. That means front wing, rear wing, bodywork, side pods, floor, diffuser and barge boards.”
Offering his view on that decision, however, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, who hasn’t been shy to criticise his successors, believes they haven’t gone far enough.
“I wouldn’t change the rules for three years,” he told the Daily Mail. “Liberty need to completely reshape things.”