Steiner: 2021 engine plans 'a good concept to start off with'

Formula 1 has found a "good concept to start off with" with the proposed engine rules for the 2021 season, according to Haas team boss Günther Steiner following their unveiling last week.

Bosses from the F1 Group and the FIA met with teams last week to announce plans for a cheaper, noisier and more equal specification of hybrid power unit for the 2021 season in the hope of attracting more manufacturers to the port.

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff said that none of the existing manufacturers were overly impressed by the engine rule plans, but Steiner feels the unveiled plans are a good starting point from which to form the rules beyond 2020.

“They’ve tried to achieve the things they set out with more noise, more equality and lower costs. That is the aim of it," Steiner said.

"I think they’ve thrown out a good concept to start off with. Now the details can be worked out by the technical people. The concept is out there and I don’t think the concept will be changed.

"But now they need to work on the detail of the concept to achieve the goals they’ve set themselves with more noise, more equality and lower costs for the customer teams. Hopefully, they can achieve it."

The removal of one of the hybrid systems and an increase in permitted revs is set to increase the amount of noise produced by the engines, with Steiner believing it to be a positive step.

"If you don’t have it, you think it’s not important because it’s just noise. If you hear a V10 or a V12 going by, when you see these historic cars, it sounds beautiful," Steiner said.

"I think a lot of people like the noise. I don’t think we’ll get to that noise of a V10 or a V12, because you have a turbo on it. You can improve, and the aim is with making the rev limit 3,000 rpm higher than the current engine, it can be achieved to be noisier.

"I think it will never be like it was. A little bit noisier is good because I think it’s great for the fans to hear a car coming from far away.”