Honda Formula 1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa has rubbished the notion limiting the number of engines allowed per season helps to reduce costs for both the teams and manufacturers.
This season, each driver could use four complete power units before incurring penalties, achieving that has been very difficult with only a handful yet to exceed their allocation and struggling to make them do so until the finale in Abu Dhabi.
In 2018, that figure goes down again to just three engines and two ERS units to last what will be a 21-race calendar with the thinking being it is first good for sustainability to use less but also saves expenditure for customers buying them and the manufacturers on production.
Honda and their partner team McLaren have particularly struggled, earning penalties as soon as the third race in Bahrain and have used twice the number of permitted parts in most cases and the Japanese car giant insists the financial argument is flawed.
“Three engines is not making a cost reduction, so the teams are always encouraged to improve the performance of the three engines,” Hasegawa explained. “That’s why we have to put more budget for that. So if the FIA is aiming to reduce budget with the three engines it is completely the opposite side.”
He also denied thoughts his comments were based on the problems Honda have had, claiming next year’s limit is possible to adhere by.
“Yes, [but] it is a very difficult challenge! Of course for Honda and some of the manufacturers, three engines is very difficult,” he claimed.
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Given the frustration at the number of engine penalties some teams have had to take and how many drivers have been impacted at each race, there have been calls for changes but McLaren Racing Director Eric Boullier doubts it will.
“There is a rule in place now and it’s too late to change because we are obviously in October and this has been a known rule for a couple of years,” he said.
“Everyone has pushed very hard to make sure the engines are more reliable next year, doing more kilometres. So three engines, but I think two ERS pack, two MGU-K, that’s going to be very limiting. I think the rule is in place and we can’t change it now.”
On whether the penalties themselves could be altered, the Frenchman also doubts there will be action but revealed it is on the agenda.
“There is some consideration now to try to think of something different that is easier to understand, it could be financial, it could be something else or a mix between sporting and financial,” he added.
“Debating now is too early, the discussion hasn’t even started yet, but it has been raised as a topic.”
