Todt ‘not worried’ about 2021 regulations delay

Jamie Woodhouse
Jean Todt compares Formula 1's situation to the 'New Deal' of America's Great Depression.

Jean Todt compares Formula 1's situation to the 'New Deal' of America's Great Depression.

FIA president Jean Todt insists he’s “not worried at all” about the delays finalising the 2021 overhaul of Formula 1.

The new regulations were scheduled to be agreed in time for the June deadline, but rulemakers, teams and key figures have agreed to delay that cut-off until late October.

Sporting and technical regulations, financial distribution and governance are all on the agenda for a reboot come 2021, and though teams were presented with draft proposals before the Canadian GP, the FIA struggled to achieve unanimous support with some concerns still lingering.

However, Todt was against the idea that the new rules could be watered down over time in a bid to get teams to agree on them.

Asked by Motorsport.com if he was worried about what impact the delays could have on the confirmed ruleset, Todt said: “I’m not worried at all. Very often in F1 I’m worried because nobody agrees.

“For once, we managed to have the 10 teams agreeing, the commercial rights holder and the regulator of the championship. So, now, we must make sure everybody is working.

“I’ll ask the team principals, team directors, drivers and tyre manufacturer to work together and to try to come out with the best solution for the championship.”

It has been reported that in return for the delay, teams had to sign a letter agreeing to the $175 million per season budget cap.

Todt, speaking during the 2019 edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours compared Formula 1’s situation to that of the World Endurance Championship, after they finally committed to the Hypercar regulations it will implement for its top class in 2020/21.

“We’re talking now, in June 2019, for regulations that will start in 2021 for five years,” said Todt. “So we must make sure that good solutions are taken.

“That’s why I think if we can work for three or four months, all together, to try to address what can be addressed, I think it’s a very good situation.”

The FIA’s summit in Paris was held last Thursday, one day before the World Motor Sport Council meeting.

That was the last chance to discuss the rules before the International Sporting Code-mandated deadline of the end of June, which has now been changed to October.

Therefore the WMSC was “updated with the current status of the draft 2021 sporting, technical, financial and governance regulations”.

“The full presentation and deliberation by the Council will take place before the end of October 2019,” the FIA’s WMSC release confirmed.

“While the core objectives outlined for the future set of regulations of the championship have been defined, in the interests of the sport it was agreed that the best outcome will be achieved by using the extra time for further refinement and additional consultation.”

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