What if a new manufacturer wants to enter?

[racer69]

How do the '5-year engine development freeze' rules work if say next year or the year after a new manufacturer wants to enter F1 (for the sake of the argument, say the Volkswagon-Audi Group)?

[Pingguest]

They will have to use an engine that is homologated. The only homologated engine that remains unused is the Cosworth engine. But due the freeze on engine development it is very unlikely to see new manufactures stepping in.

[Teretonga]

They could start by building themselves an engine and put up a proposal to buy STR....... or set a partnership with Super Aguri's new owners...

[Sodemo]

Freezing an engine for so long is foolish imo.

A two year freeze is still bad, but *better* than a 5 year one.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

They could start by building themselves an engine and put up a proposal to buy STR....... or set a partnership with Super Aguri's new owners...

No, because that new engine is not homologated.

[FPV GTHO]

The FIA gave Ford and Volkswagen the same notification of the future engine regs as all the other manufacturers so i'm not convinced they'd be left to settle for the '06 spec Cosworths. The engines were allowed further modification before '07 and i doubt they'd be that competitive.

Maybe any new manufacturer building their own ground up engines will be allowed a certain period of unlimited development to catch up.

[Cougar]

The loophole would then be that a manufacturer could change its name each year and build a new engine?

[Nicholosophy]

From the FIA Sporting Regulations, Appendix 6.

1. A homologated engine is an engine identical in every respect to either:
(skip (i) which refers to current engines and (ii) which refers to modifications to add a KERS system)
(iii) An engine delivered to the FIA after 31 March 2008, or modified and re-delivered to the FIA after 31 March 2008, which the FIA is satisfied, in its absolute discretion and after full consultation with all other suppliers of engines for the Championship, could fairly and equitably be allowed to compete with other homologated engines.

So another engine manufacturer could come into the sport - just that the other engine manufacturers would have to agree. Don't like their changes but I guess they could sweeten the deal if they feel it was worth the effort.

ETA

Also while I think of it, since the Cosworth has not completed two races this year or (I would guess) presented to the FIA, it isn't yet homologated.

[Oldtony]

The Concorde makes it compulsory for a new team to design and build thier own chassis.
The homologation requirements make it impossible for a new team to design and build thier own engine.
Ah the wonderful logic of it all!!!!

[Nicholosophy]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

The Concorde makes it compulsory for a new team to design and build thier own chassis.
The homologation requirements make it impossible for a new team to design and build thier own engine.
Ah the wonderful logic of it all!!!!

But a team has never had to build their own engine. Williams never have. Nor have many times past and present.

Whether it makes sense that teams have to build their own chassis or not has nothing to do with the logic in regards to engine rules...

And in fact a new team could build their own engine under the current rules, as mentioned in a previous post.

[fraggs]

Would be good to see that space occupied that prodrive should have had. Will they go through a re-tendering process to get a 12th team on the grid?

[Marbot]

A manufacturer can build its own engine if it wants to,as long as it hands it over to the FIA for homologation.But since all the engines are a 'much-of-a-muchness' these days,why would anyone bother.

[Teretonga]

And if a team does not have to build their own engine to enter the series, why should they have to build their own chassis........

It is all politics and self interest on the part of the 'constructors'.... a joke.