Formula 1 could change how teams develop both the engine and chassis under suggestions put forward by teams.
The topic of limiting car development has been criticised, with F1 bosses keen to avoid designers undoing the hard work done in creating a design that allows drivers to follow closely.
Indeed, as Renault executive director Marcin Budkowski noted: “In the beginning, the car that is following will have 90 per cent of their downforce, but that will change with each development step.
“Whether it will become 50 per cent again, as with the current cars, no one can know that today.”
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However, teams have also argued a shift towards identical car designs goes against the DNA of the sport, with Mercedes even suggesting to keep most of the current regulations.
With that unlikely though, instead, the implementation of active aerodynamics has been put forward, according to Auto Motor und Sport, which would allow drivers to adjust downforce levels from inside the car, something that would also completely eradicate DRS.
As for the engine, Renault recently touted support for a freeze on engine development as a way of cutting costs for manufacturers and also called on F1 to consider greater electrification for the next overhaul in power unit regulations.
In response, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suggested why not do both?
“That would reduce the costs by five per cent as a good first step,” he told the German publication of the benefit from an engine freeze.
“But there has to be more. It would be better for sustainability if we keep developing the electrical part of the power unit.”
Currently, ERS power is limited to around 160hp, or 16-20 per cent of the overall power output, but: “We can imagine increasing that to 50 per cent [in the future],” Wolff added.