Cosworth: We're happy with engine freeze.
Cosworth F1 boss Bernard Ferguson says that the company is delighted with Max Mosley's confirmation of the proposed engine freeze for 2008 and beyond, as the independent company has a much smaller budget than its manufacturer-backed rivals, and a freeze means that development costs will tumble.
However, Cosworth admits that it actually wants the freeze to be brought forward to cover the 'loophole' of 2007.
Cosworth F1 boss Bernard Ferguson says that the company is delighted with Max Mosley's confirmation of the proposed engine freeze for 2008 and beyond, as the independent company has a much smaller budget than its manufacturer-backed rivals, and a freeze means that development costs will tumble.
However, Cosworth admits that it actually wants the freeze to be brought forward to cover the 'loophole' of 2007.
"The freeze benefits us," Ferguson admitted, "Because, right now, the engines are being frozen after this weekend, and we seem to have reasonable product. So we're happy with that. What I'm concerned about is to have a freeze now for 2008 for three years, and then, in 2007, have this exponential spending and then everybody comes back again.
"I'd like to think that everybody will see the nonsense in that and support it through and introduce it in 2007. But you never know, because it's a different body that's got to approve it for 2007 to that which has brought it in in 2008."
Ferguson says that the fall in development costs will make the engine package a better deal for potential customers, as the savings can in effect be passed on. However, the company is still in competition with manufacturers who, in effect, subsidise their customer programmes.
"Our personal view is that it's fine, we like it, it's to our advantage," he said of the cost-cutting measures, "If other people prefer to spend huge amount of money, then they won't like it. I've never understood why people spend so much money on doing this because, at the end of the day, all the manufacturers on average move the horsepower up about 3.5 per cent a year. Why do they spend so much money?
"The benefit to Cosworth is that if there aren't the same level of development costs, we could be much more competitive, because we have to charge the customer our development costs. If one of the Japanese companies, or Ferrari or somebody, amortise their costs into their own programme, and then provide engines at replication cost, that hurts us."
