2021 F1 rules at “80% or 90%” – Abiteboul

Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul concedes Formula 1 won’t meet a potential June deadline to confirm its 2021 rules and regulations shake-up but he remains confident progress is on course for it to be completed by the end of this year.

An initial June deadline was targeted to secure the 2021 rules, covering sporting and commercial aspects as part of wider changes in the sport, but at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix during the F1 team principal press conference all team bosses were in agreement confirming the rules by the end of June would be unachievable.

Detailing the current progress of the 2021 agreements, Renault chief Abiteboul says the core aspects are gaining momentum but remain undefined and has called on both the FIA and F1 rights holders Liberty Media to provide “a bit of a push”.

“Will we have a signed contract by FIA, Formula 1 and all 10 teams by end of June or mid-June for the World Motor Council? No, obviously no,” Abiteboul said. “But in my opinion there has been a lot of groundwork already covered.

“I think it’s all about trying to agree what will be the key principles for 2021, from a commercial perspective, financial perspective, the key principles on the technical side and the sporting side. And in my opinion we are probably 80% or 90% from that point, from that milestone.

“So with enough faith and enough goodwill from all participants and probably a bit of a push from the key stakeholders, FIA and Formula 1.”

Abiteboul is also confident a draft can be produced at the next FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting to provide a technical guide for teams to begins early preparations for 2021 with the final rules confirmed by the end of 2019.

“There is no reason why something cannot be presented at the World Motor Sport Council that will be advanced enough to give useful guidelines for the remainder of the year,” he said. “So that we have a complete set of guidelines for the end of the year.”

The next FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting, where the draft 2021 rules could be presented to F1 teams and key stakeholders, takes place in late June.