Renault’s engine equality demand gains momentum with Christian Horner’s support

The F1 commissions meeting at the upcoming Belgium Grand Prix will discuss the topic of engine equalization.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (Image credit: Planet Sport)

The current power units, set for replacement in 2026, were specified last year. Alpine, using Renault-supplied units, feels they lack parity with rivals Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda RBPT. Red Bull’s principal, Christian Horner, after his team’s 12th consecutive win, advocates equalizing power unit performance if any manufacturer faces a disadvantage.

Christian Horner believes that an equal power unit would be fascinating for everyone to witness. Moreover, he expressed that if there were a deficit under homologation, it should be dealt with sensibly to avoid being locked in for two years. He added that he wouldn’t oppose having a reasonable discussion on the matter.

“If there is a deficit under a homologation, it’s something that we should be sensitive about,” said Christian Horner. “Otherwise, you’re locked in for two years [until 2026] so I wouldn’t be averse to a sensible discussion,”

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Alpine’s team principal, Otmar Szafnauer, gladly accepted Christian Horner’s support. He pointed out that the freeze on development was introduced for Red Bull to keep using Honda’s units after their withdrawal from F1 in 2021.

Also read: Christian Horner rejoices as Red Bull breaks McLaren’s record for the most consecutive wins with the dominant RB-19

Renault’s bid for engine parity garners wide support in the F1 community

Alpine F1 car (Image credit: Microsoft News)

In the past, Formula 1 has implemented engine equalization, notably during the V8 era in 2007. It was to address performance discrepancies caused by certain manufacturers capitalizing on reliability changes to gain an advantage. However, in preparation for the current F1 engine freeze enforced in 2022, it was decided not to incorporate a regulatory framework for equalization because the performances were considered sufficiently balanced already.

The F1 Commission’s upcoming meeting during the Belgian Grand Prix will feature discussions on engine equalization. This topic was added to the agenda based on an analysis conducted by the FIA. This was done in response to concerns raised by French manufacturer Alpine about their Renault engine’s performance compared to their rivals.

? | Red Bull has offered its support for Renault's request of equalising engine performance

Horner: “If there is a deficit under a homologation, it’s something that we should be sensitive about."

“Otherwise, you’re locked in for two years [until 2026] so I wouldn’t be averse… pic.twitter.com/K1nSv2Ua6y
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) July 23, 2023

In recent years, there have been numerous requests to equalize the turbo hybrids, particularly when Mercedes was leading or Renault was lagging. However, despite these appeals, the FIA did not take any action in response. The French team has immense support, with Christian Horner’s Red Bull backing their cause.