user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Mercedes agrees to compromise over engine 'unfreeze'

Mercedes agrees to compromise over engine 'unfreeze'

  • Published on 04 Nov 2014 10:56
  • comments 1
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Talks over a touted engine 'unfreeze' for the 2015 season appear to have taken a dramatic turn. On Monday, media reports in Italy suggested Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault may have pulled off a political masterstroke over the US GP weekend by convincing F1's dominant force Mercedes to agree to the relaxing of the engine homologation rules.

That is despite Mercedes chiefs Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda respectively describing the proposals as "nonsense" and "irrational", as it drives up costs and unfairly attacks the German squad for performing best under the new rules.

But now Italy's La Repubblica is also reporting that Mercedes "has agreed to a compromise" over the engine freeze, which currently dictates that manufacturers may modify 48 per cent of the engine but have it re-frozen before the start of the 2015 season. "Finally," read the report, "thanks to pressure from (Bernie) Ecclestone and the FIA, the Germans gave in."

La Repubblica cautioned that the compromise, while agreed by the Brackley team, will now have to be approved by Mercedes' paymasters in Stuttgart. Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci said: "At the meeting on Saturday, Mercedes said it was willing to compromise. But I do not feel like saying the matter is closed now, because Mercedes had already declared its willingness before and then changed its mind."

However, Mattiacci thanked Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda for at least "putting everyone around a table to discuss" the issue. Other reports suggest the 'unfreeze' will now mean that manufacturers' 2015 designs will not be locked in until July next year.

Christian Horner, the boss of Renault's works team Red Bull, confirmed: "Mercedes have accepted that they need to provide a window of opportunity to the others to introduce competition. They participated in a discussion, so they haven't actually agreed to anything as yet, but there was a very constructive discussion which hopefully will see a solution in place in the very near future," he added. (GMM)
F1 News Ferrari Mercedes Renault

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • BtwnDitches

    Posts: 204

    Mercedes will agree only if they're sure that they can also advance their engines significantly in an "unfreeze". Who can blame them? Advances pre-2015 by Merc, Renault and Ferrari would also be an extra challenge to Honda, who may have though it was entering a rather stable situation with its new engine, only to be left behind by all come next Spring.

    • + 0
    • Nov 4 2014 - 15:35

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
McLaren
666
2
Ferrari
652
3
Red Bull Racing
589
4
Mercedes
468
5
Aston Martin
94
6
Alpine F1
65
7
Haas F1
58
8
Visa Cash App RB
46
9
Williams
17
10
Sauber
4
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Ferrari
Ferrari
Show full profile
show sidebar