Engine Tokens Scrapped For 2017

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Formula 1 teams have agreed to remove the current restrictions on engine development for 2017.

The proposed changes have been agreed among the teams, however the ruling still needs to be ratified by the FIA. The move would see the end of the complicated ‘token’ system that was adopted in 2015 after the switch to V6 turbo hybrid engines the previous year. The ‘token’ system limited the amount of development that could be done to an engine in any given season. But many figures in F1 felt it was an unnecessary complex piece of legislation that ultimately restricted the chances for manufacturers to improve their engines.

When the current Turbo engines were introduced, in season development was banned outright, while the changes manufacturers could make in the off season were to get increasingly limited as the years went on. Engines themselves were divided up into 66 parts, forming the engine. Each part was assigned up to three tokens, depending on that parts influence on the reliability and performance of the engine. The manufacturers were then allowed up to 32 tokens to develop their engine through the whole of 2015. The original plan was to decrease the number year on year, with 25 tokens per manufacturer for 2016, and so on till there would be only 3 tokens for 2019 and 2020. However, the token scheme will be scrapped for the 2017 season.

Tokens were initially brought in to prevent costs spiralling out of control. However, the measure had some basic flaws in it. Firstly, any team who started the year with an engine that was down on power or performance was locked into that engine for the year, with no chance of reducing the deficit. The fact that the plan to reduce the tokens year on year would have led to some teams having a permanent advantage while others had pertinent disadvantages. As they would not have the tokens to improve the engine. And perhaps the biggest one was the fact it would have scared off future competitors. They would have been controlled by the same level of restrictions on the current teams taking part, but with none of the benefit of race experience behind them.

As soon as it became clear the Mercedes powered engine was the best teams have been looking to undermine the rules. Firstly, a compromise was agreed upon to allow new engine supplier Honda the chance to develop its engine. While Ferrari exploited a loophole in the rules for in season developments in 2015. For 2016 in season developments have been allowed. With each engine supplier receiving in increase to 32 tokens, the same as 2015. That will all change in 2017 when the tokens are scrapped. Drivers will still be limited to four engines per season though.

There is one restriction on the development of engines already in place for the 2017 season. And that is new parts can only be fitted when the team changes one of the six major parts that makes up the power unit.

Those major parts are,
. The internal combustion engine;
. The turbo charger;
. The energy store;
. The control electronics;
. The two motor generator units.

Since the V6 turbo hybrid engines came in two years ago Mercedes have dominated the sport. Winning both the constructors and drivers championships for the last two years. The feeling is by freeing up development Mercedes competitors (Ferrari, Renault and Honda) will be able to catch up and challenge them.

Image credit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes_F1_W06_Hybrid
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_SF15-T
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuderia_Toro_Rosso