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FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting has confirmed that Honda will be allowed to develop its power unit throughout the 2015 season on a similar basis as was allowed for the other manufacturers.
This!Mesteño wrote:CharlieW: “As the existing manufacturers were obliged to homologate their power units by 28 February 2014 it would seem fair and equitable to ask a new manufacturer to homologate their power unit before February 28 2015.“
Reading the original source, Charlie never says Honda runs out of tokens when homologating, it is Autorsport who makes that interpretation.
I don't see the big controversy, and why should 2014 and number of PUs enter the picture?Sasha wrote:What is fair....
1)If they have to live by the 2014 rules then they get 5 PU for the season but no upgrades allowed.
2)or they get the same rules as everybody else in 2015 and can upgrade their PU but only 4 PU.
Also here is another piece people don't know...Honda only gets 25 tokens in 2016 like everybody else.
That was the only problem Honda had to deal with by sitting out 2014 until this loop-hole problem.
it wouldn't be the first time that charlie has been primed as what to say as no more than a semi-official ruling with a compromise to come laterhollus wrote:Hasn't it been the case before that whatever Charlie Whiting says is only CW's opinion and has no legal value? Something like a very educated guess from an insider in the system, but a guess nonetheless.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/30685450McLaren and new engine partner Honda have queried a ruling that prevents them from improving their engine during the 2015 season but allows their rivals to do so.
A senior F1 source said Honda was "annoyed" by the development.
It follows the discovery of a loophole and subsequent clarification of the rules by the FIA, the governing body.
McLaren-Honda have been in contact with the FIA about the issue but said it would not comment further for now.
The situation has arisen because of a lack of clarity in the rules concerning permitted engine developments.
The intention was to freeze in-season development, to keep costs down.
Renault and Ferrari had wanted to end the ban in an attempt to close the gap on Mercedes, which had the dominant power-unit in 2014.
Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton won the World Championship with Mercedes
Honda has been told by the FIA it must submit its definitive 2015 engine designs by 28 February, whereas Renault, Ferrari and Mercedes can stagger improvements over the season if required.
Because Honda's new engine is racing for the first time 2015, the FIA believes it is "fair and equitable" that Honda complies with the same restrictions as its rivals last year.
Honda feels the ruling puts them at a disadvantage, and will meet the FIA next week to discuss the situation.
A senior figure from one of Honda's rivals said the changes "won't make that much difference".
Honda, which has returned to F1 this season following an absence of six years, has the option of lodging a protest against Ferrari, who discovered the loophole that has led to the change in interpretation of the rules by the FIA.
Renault, Ferrari and Mercedes have so far not responded to requests to comment from BBC Sport.
The season starts with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 15 March.
Engine development - the detail
Complex turbo hybrid engines were introduced in 2014
Development rules follow a formula that defines 92% of the engine as being open to development from the first season of the design to the second
From this, manufacturers choose a maximum of 48% they can develop
This 48% is split into 32 'tokens', assigned to parts of the engine depending on their influence on performance
Following the latest FIA rule clarification, manufacturers in their second season are now able to implement their 32 development tokens over the course of the year, rather than having to do so before the season starts
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It's definitely the fia's stance. I do still believe Honda can make case of using 1.b instead, but unless Honda appeals it'll probably go down that way.skt36 wrote:You cannot run with an unhomologated PU. (28.5)
What you can do is run the 2014 engine (which is homologated), a 2015-A engine (using less than 32 tokens and homologated under 1.b), or a 2015-B engine (using the remaining tokens and re-homologated under 1.b)
There is a valid interpretation of the rules under which Honda would be allowed to homologate an engine under 1.c for race 1, and then spend 32 tokens througout the season under 1.b. This would require the FIA and other manufacturers to agree to it though due to the "fair and equitable" provision of 1.c.
The FIA have the right to refuse Honda homologation under 1.c, which is why they can dictate whether Honda can use 32 tokens under 1.b.
The homologation period: 2014-2020Blackout wrote:So this means Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes can't bring more than one update* during the season if they start with the 2014 PU. The update simply consists on trasforming the 2014 PU in a 2015 PU using the tokens.
The PU is completely frozen once you homologate it*.
*exept reliability, cost saving etc...
Once homologated in accordance with a) or b) above, and except as permitted by (c)
below, no changes may be made to the design or construction of the homologated
parts for the duration of the homologation period laid out in Article 28.5 of the F1
Sporting Regulations.