Engine freeze 2022: towards a gentleman's agreement in the event of disparities?

After obtaining the butter, Red Bull will he also have the butter money?

Reassured by the unanimous adoption of an engine performance freeze at the start of 2022, the Austrian group was able to immediately formalize the creation of the Red Bull Powertrains department in Milton Keynes (United Kingdom) intended to operate the Honda powertrain after the Japanese manufacturer's withdrawal at the end of 2021. 

However, the victory was not complete for Red Bull, which also campaigned for the implementation of convergence mechanisms so as not to freeze excessively significant power differences for 3 seasons. However, the freeze agreement does not provide for such measures. Officially anyway… 

During a small virtual conference with the British press, including our colleagues from Race fans, Christian Horner has in fact revealed the existence of an informal agreement between engine manufacturers to rebalance the forces involved in the event that one of the V6 turbo hybrids is really lagging behind. 

« There is no explicit mention in the regulations but manufacturers can report this to the FIA ​​for intervention if the situation requires it. “, said the Red Bull Racing team principal. 

Horner acknowledges that the situation “ is not ideal but it gives the FIA ​​the tools it needs to bring the relevant parties together around the table ».

The British manager also specified that Honda would continue to develop its engine until his departure on December 31, 2021 with the final objective of adapting its equipment to E10 fuel which will be used in 2022.

Red Bull hopes to recover the most advanced propellant possible just before the engine freeze is implemented at the start of next year. Will it be at the level of the new version of the blocks Renault, Mercedes, and Ferrari ? The famous gentleman's agreement, which offers no legal basis, will it resist the power of particular interests?

Recent history is particularly rich in lessons in this area. We will remember that at the 2018 Australian GP, ​​Ferrari found itself under fire for having poached Laurent Mekies, who occupied a potentially sensitive technical position at the FIA. 

Most of the Scuderia's rivals believed that Maranello had broken a pact established after Renault's recruitment of Marcin Budkowski, also from the federal ranks.

Curiously, Toto wolff had not joined the crowd of indignant people. “ I don't remember seeing any gentlemen in the room when we discussed the subject », blurted the boss of Mercedes, obviously not fooled.

This shows the value of these informal agreements in Formula 1...