Jean Todt, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile President, is confident that new regulations will discourage copying in Formula 1.
He is convinced that it will also settle the reservations of different teams on Formula 1 over Racing Point copying Mercedes W10.
Racing Point was caught in storm after revealing its car for 2020. Renault lodged a formal complaint against the team which led to a penalty of 15 points and $500,000 fine.
The matter was escalated to FIA’s International Court of Appeal. Where Racing Point will reason for copying Mercedes W10 brake ducts design within the legal bounds.
Ferrari has jumped into the matter. The wants to know clear jurisdiction limits on what the team could copy or collaborate.
The concerns were shown by many outfits regarding how much of ingenuity F1 wants from the teams. Because if other teams follow the course of Racing Point, it will drive away the spirit, excellence, of F1.
The FIA has agreed to the notion that it can’t allow free-for-all copying in F1. Nikolas Tombazis, Single Seater Head, revealed that new regulations will soon roll out to restrict the copying capacity of teams.
“This will prevent teams from using extensive photos to copy whole portions of other cars in the way that Racing Point has done,” he said.
“We will still accept individual components to be copied in local areas. But we don’t want the whole car to be fundamentally a copy of another car.”
Todt assurance on Regulations
Details of new regulations are not publicly available. However, Todt assured that it will work out well for everyone who want ingenuity in F1.
Todt was asked for a comment on Racing Point approaching the appeal court. He said: “Clearly the concern of some teams about copying is something we want to address.
“The specificity of Formula 1 is that each F1 team is a manufacturer, responsible for the design of its car. So if we have to be more precise in the wording of the text [we will do it].
“It’s something we are now fulfilling and maybe in the light of that, the teams will be happy with the new regulations, so we will see what happens.
“But for me it would be inappropriate to comment on a matter still under appeal.”
