Horner: F1 needs to address fundamental issues by mid-2018

Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Formula 1’s future rules and regulations need to be set in stone by the middle of the 2018 season at the latest. 

A blueprint of engine regulations for 2021 has already been drafted up by new F1 owners Liberty Media, who are looking to reduce costs and improve the show in their efforts to future-proof the sport. 

But the proposals were met by skepticism from leading teams Mercedes and Ferrari, both of which highlighted their concerns about the future landscape of F1, with Scuderia president and CEO Sergio Marchionne warning that Ferrari could walkaway from the sport.

Horner has echoed the view of McLaren boss Zak Brown, who recently said F1 is risking “public fireworks” the longer the situation remains unclear. 

“The problem will be if we go past mid-year then manufacturers will state there’s not enough time for 2021 so there’s a lot of positioning going on," Horner said.

“It’s crucial that the commercial rights holder and the FIA come out with a clear position and regulations - particularly on the engine - certainly by the middle of this year.”

Horner has called on Liberty and the FIA to agree on a firm rulebook sooner rather than later, in order to avoid further tensions between rival teams and manufacturers.

“It really needs alignment between the commercial rights holder and the governing body. As soon as they are on the same page it becomes irrelevant what the teams want. 

“First things first is they need to align themselves and then present what they want the regulations to be, particularly as far as the power units are concerned. 

“We’ve got interested parties sitting outside Formula 1 and again, timing is crucial for them if they are looking at entering F1 in 2021."