F1 News
Binotto confirms Ferrari will support engine freeze
- GPblog.com
After much bickering and an initial, resolute 'no' from Mattia Binotto, the Scuderia now agree with Red Bull's engine plans. This was admitted by the team boss in a press conference after the first free practice session in Bahrain.
Red Bull's plans to take over Honda's engine production have been under discussion for some time, but for the plans to actually go ahead Red Bull requires the approval of all teams. Now that Binotto has been convinced, it is now up to Renault. Team boss Abiteboul was initially against it too, but it is expected that he will also agree and that Red Bull's plans can go ahead.
"We will indeed support the freeze on engine development," Binotto told Motorsport.com. "We want to anticipate by bringing the freeze on engine development forward one year." This would mean that the freeze would start before the 2022 season, and that's exactly what Red Bull wants.
A solution would have been found
Binotto also stated that whether he had promised or not, a solution would be found for the Austrian team. "To start with, there are just regulations that would allow Red Bull to find a solution anyway, perhaps by getting an engine from another supplier." But Binotto also knows that these were not the plans for Red Bull. "We now understand their intention to continue using the Honda power source in the future," said the Ferrari team boss.