Renault: F1 needs clarity over Ferrari’s engine settlement

Renault Formula 1 boss Cyril Abiteboul wants Ferrari’s secret settlement with the FIA over the use of its 2019 power unit to be addressed once the season can begin.

F1 is currently observing a period of suspension with the opening 10 races of the 2020 campaign called off due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, though championship bosses hope to get the season underway in early July.

Ferrari became the subject of controversy as testing came to a close after the FIA revealed it had reached a confidential “settlement” with the Scuderia over how the Italian team used its engine throughout the 2019 campaign.

The announcement sparked outrage among the seven non-Ferrari powered teams, who in a joint communication demanded transparency and details of the secret deal. The FIA responded explaining its reasoning for not making the details of its investigation public.

After being somewhat overshadowed by the coronavirus crisis, the subject was brought up again last month when McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown challenged Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto to share the full details of the arrangement after the FIA said it would be willing to volunteer the information.

And Abiteboul agrees that clarification is required in order to move on from the situation.

“It’s something of the previous world, but it’s still something which at some point should be addressed,” Abiteboul told the official Formula 1 website.

“We live in a world which is totally open. We are not challenging the process, we only want to find out what happened.

“We want to find out what the legality concern was and also to make sure we are staying away from similar legality question marks.

“Very simply, I’m an engine manufacturer myself, I want to make sure my engine doesn’t pose the same legality question mark. I don’t think so.

“But I think it only makes sense if the regulations are clear and the decisions are clear for all participants – that’s what we’re asking.

“We have no intent to change what has been done. We would like to know in order to move on.”