Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci is adamant that F1 needs an engine ‘unfreeze’ in 2015 – and that it is a matter of principle in that the sport should be about innovation.
He also admitted that there was no guarantee that it would change the pecking order.
Mattiacci was quizzed re the unlikelihood of Mercedes changing its mind and supporting an unfreeze at the next F1 Commission meeting.
“In life is it important to try,” he said. “We are trying to do our best because we have a strong belief that innovation is at the base of the success of F1. We’re a company that produces the pinnacle of engineering, so I think it is important that innovation is at the centre of this F1. I cannot go back to my fans and say I cannot perform better in the engine, I need to wait one year. I don’t think it is a fair answer. We absolutely stick to the principles of these new regulations. We’re not asking to change, we’re asking for a fine tuning, applying the same principle.
“If we win, if it may be possible, otherwise, that’s it. Let’s arrive to the F1 Commission, then we’ll see the consequences. One step at a time.”
Questioned on the possibility of costs rising he said: “I think honestly from our point of view there is not a cost increase, and again the other argument maybe today if I had the possibility to upgrade my engines, maybe the teams I supply would have scored points, and would have extra revenues. For a small team not to have the possibility to catch up is much more dramatic than for a big team.
“I have always said the engine unfreeze is not a silver bullet, that I’m going to catch up with Mercedes. Again it’s a principle, sometimes you fight for a principle. I think the F1 I grew up [with] is about innovation and catching up with the best. We are working in order that aside of the engine unfreeze upgrade, we are working very hard to catch up, but that’s a principle we are working on.”
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