Teams could save ‘£10m’, Racing Point reveals how

Michelle Foster
Sergio Perez Racing Point RP20

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Formula 1 teams could dramatically reduce their budgets by carrying over chassis, gearboxes or suspensions from one season to the next.

Next season F1 will see how that plays out but it won’t be a first for Racing Point.

The sport’s team bosses have agreed to run their 2020 chassis next season, negating some of the financial losses they are currently taking.

It, however, won’t be a first for Racing Point with team boss Otmar Szafnauer revealing the Silverstone-based team has done it “three times” in order to save money.

And that’s not the only part of the car that has been used two seasons in a row.

“We took an old chassis into the next season three times,” Szafnauer told Auto Motor und Sport. “And not only that.

“In the difficult years, the suspension and the gearbox also remained the same.

“If you can take the old chassis, you can save up to a million and a half pounds.

“If you add the gearbox and crash structures, it can be between three and five million.

“If you push things to the limit, up to ten million pounds are possible.”

He added: “Mercedes also benefits when they don’t have to design new parts.”

At present the teams have said yes to running the same chassis in the 2021 championship but there is talk of freezing development on more parts to help keep the costs down.

“It will depend on how many races we are going to race this year,” Szafnauer added.

“If there are no races at all, you’ll have to race next year with the 2020 Melbourne cars with an aero upgrade.”

The FIA is currently putting together a list of what could be frozen.

The bigger teams, though, are likely to want less restrictions, which Szafnauer says will have a negative impact on the smaller outfits.

“One rule has to apply to everyone here,” he said. “If not enough savings are made, the small teams have even more disadvantages.”

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