F1 could delay 2021 rules introduction due to coronavirus

Formula 1 could delay the planned introduction of the 2021 regulation overhaul by a year in a bid to reduce costs following the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Teams are pushing to keep the current 2020 rules frozen in place for next season and postpone changes until 2022 to help cope with the strain in what is expected to be a difficult year.

With a major shake-up of the regulations coming on the horizon, teams were already faced with the tricky task of having to balance development for 2020 and 2021 and deciding at which point to switch focus onto the new car design.

But with the COVID-19 outbreak delaying the start of the 2020 campaign until May at the earliest, teams are set for further complications with a potentially heavily-congested end to the year with F1 bosses aiming to hold at least 17-18 races.

A reduced schedule would result in a massive drop in income for the teams, who have discussed keeping the rules unchanged for an additional year during a conference call this week.

According to Auto motor und Sport, nine of the ten teams gave their backing to the idea, with only Ferrari asking for more time to consider the situation and possible consequences.

A second call is set to take place on Thursday, with F1 chiefs Chase Carey and Ross Brawn and FIA president Jean Todt to be present.

If the event of the regulation overhaul being delayed, chassis and development of the gearbox and other key mechanical parts would be frozen, with only aero development allowed to continue.

It is understood that the planned cost cap measures would still be applied throughout the 2021 season as teams prepared for a new set of rules to come into force from 2022.

Postponement would not only ease the development pressure on teams but also allow time for further changes to be agreed upon, including the yet-to-be-signed new Concorde Agreement.