Racing Point believes Formula 1 would be “prudent” to consider if the new 2022 cars should be introduced at all.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has delayed the current season, the sport has agreed and is considering ways of reducing costs to ensure the survival of all 10 teams.
One measure already in place is the postponement of the new 2021 cars by a year and banning the development of them until the new budget cap comes into effect next season.
But Racing Point CEO Otmar Szafnauer thinks there would be financial and possibly sporting benefits to scrapping them entirely.
“If we show that we have very good racing with the cars we have now, it would be prudent to look at either delaying [the new rules] by another year, or looking at the whole concept again and saying what we have now isn’t that bad,” he told Formula1.com last week.
“If you don’t change the regulations, you end up saving money. In this day and age, we should be doing everything we can to try and spend less.”
Of all the teams, however, Racing Point would be one of the keenest to see the current era of regulations continue for as long as possible after deciding to go in a different direction with car design for 2020 by essentially copying last year’s Mercedes.
“We knew when we made the decision that it would only be for one year, but now it looks like we will have a year and a half,” the CEO admitted. “Hopefully we can extend that even further.”
Still, due to the financial impact of the coronavirus, the health of the Silverstone-based outfit has been questioned with fears it could be one of the most vulnerable to collapse.
“[Coronavirus] has had a massive impact. We have put the business on hold,” Szafnauer confirmed. “We are currently on shutdown, so there is no development that has happened.
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“Not much money has been spent, almost zero, which is also good,” he noted. “We have extended the shutdown, so there’s another two weeks, and I anticipate that will be extended again. It’s basically mothballing everything.”
The team is also one of several to furlough their lower-level staff but insist those employees remain positive about the outlook.
“Morale hasn’t taken a hit at all,” the American added. “We’ve had great feedback and the morale is strong.
“Everyone is very supportive. I think people understand the furlough, we have explained it well. If you can explain the uncertainty away and it becomes certain and understood, the anxiety goes away and morale stays high.
“Like anything, if there is a bit of doubt and you can’t predict the future, or if there is uncertainty, then there is some anxiety,” he conceded.
“We need to learn that these types of things can happen, so we should put practices in place – maybe a more prudent cost cap so that if it does happen again we’re on a better financial footing.”
