‘No sympathy for Merc over new engine rules’

Helmut Marko says he has no sympathy for Mercedes, who are reportedly the most reluctant to embrace engine rules changes for 2017.

Formula 1 is pressing on with plans to alter the engine regulations ahead of next year's championship.

The changes are aimed at reducing the cost of the power units, improving the sound and performance convergence.

And with Mercedes' engine by far the best in the field, it is no wonder that the reigning World Champions are not too happy about the changes.

Marko, though, has no sympathy for the Brackley squad.

"Not at all," he told the official F1 website when asked 'do you sympathise. "Because it was all about not losing any advantage.

"Now all the teams again have the chance to close the gap.

"Of course we are probably the biggest beneficiary, as in the past when new regulations came in we’ve always been ahead."

Asked whether he feels the new rules could bring 'new chances' for Red Bull Racing, he responded: "First of all we want to be competitive again. And we believe that the races have to be more exciting again – not so predictable…"

Pressed on that given that there have been some great battles this season, he said: "But only in the midfield. The midfield racing has been sizzling.

"But when it came to winning the race you knew that it would be a Mercedes driver. The Mercedes driver who comes out of the first corner in first is the race winner. Hopefully that will change."

But, as the Red Bull advisor pointed out, the finer details have yet to be finalised.

"It is at least a step in the right direction," he said. "But as always, the devil is in the detail.

"The price from where the reduction should be applied was not fixed. We have variations in engines from 16 million euros up to 28 million. That is one issue.

"Then it is still wide open on how the [performance] convergence is going to work: if we really can stay within these three-tenths of a second that’s been calculated then we are okay – but there seems to be no guarantee on that.

"Another issue is, of course, that we have to be supplied with an engine – no matter what else happens – as the independent engine is now definitely off the table."