Doubt around FIA's engine parity suggestion

Renault-powered F1 drivers have cast doubt over the FIA's recent suggestion that engine performance parity is now present in the sport.

It has been rumoured that Honda, whose mechanical problems have left them significantly behind their fellow engine suppliers, will receive assistance in catching up, and this has led to the discovery of an FIA investigation. It reportedly concluded that Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari are all within three tenths of a second per lap of each other - something that has been dismissed, among others, by Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz.

"I heard that and almost made a joke about it on Twitter," Sainz is quoted as saying by Speed Week. "Sure, we've made progress but we're definitely not closer than half a second."

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo also offered his thoughts on the matter in Sochi and agreed with Sainz: "When I look at the gap to Ferrari here, I can't quite understand the FIA because the gap is bigger than that. If it was three-tenths, I would be very happy."

Former F1 driver turned German TV pundit Marc Surer added: "For me it's purely a political statement - a joke! If Sergio Perez as a Mercedes customer driver says the engines are equal, that's just logical - obviously the Mercedes teams have zero interest in letting the other engine manufacturers catch up."

Mason Hawker