Though it has not been widely popular with the fans, those teams not using Mercedes engines or Bernie Ecclestone, who has detested it from the outset, the current 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid could be here to stay.

An agreement between the teams and Commercial Rights Holder means the current formula is in place until 2020, after which the sport may choose to move further into hybrid technology or back towards the previous V10 and V8 eras.

Speaking in Germany, a number of technical directors admitted that the time is fast approaching when thoughts must turn to 2020.

"It is time we started to talk about the engine beyond this one," admitted Paddy Lowe. "It does raise some very big considerations, such as how do we define an engine or power unit that is correct for the sport but also relevant to the kind of power units that we will see in the future in road cars?

"Do we remain in some way related to that technology which is increasingly electrical or do we go our own way? There are some very, very important questions."

"What we have learned from this cycle and this era of hybrid engines is that the power units now are very, very complicated and it needs a lot of planning," added Ferrari's Jock Clear. "I think we'll go into those next negotiations with eyes wide open this time, I don't think there's anybody who didn't fall into the category of underestimating what might have been involved, and as such, the sooner we start, the sooner we'll be aware and the sooner we can come to a solution that will be the best for the sport."

"It's got to be affordable hasn't it?" said Pat Fry, seemingly the voice of reason. "The costs have snowballed since the normally aspirated engines. It does need bringing back under control to some degree, doesn't it?"

Force India CEO, Otmar Szafnauer, was in no doubt whatsoever when he was asked what kind of engine he was looking for beyond 2020. "A cheap one!" he replied. "A clean sheet of paper, it's got to be affordable."

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost agrees, indeed, the Austrian believes the sport would be best served by sticking with what it already has.

"It's not necessary to come up in 2020 with a another completely new regulation because we have a fantastic power unit," he told Autosport.

"We have a turbocharged engine, a very small one, and we have two energy recovery systems and a battery system which is the technology for the future," he continued. "We shouldn't make big changes but what we should do is maybe start to freeze the output of the power unit to a certain level and come down with the costs.

"This package we can easily go with until 2025 and this will maybe also attract some other manufacturers to come into Formula 1.

"I hope they don't come up with a completely new regulation because this will once more force the manufacturers and teams to invest a lot of money from 2021 onwards which is not necessary," he admitted.

"To discuss it soon is important but we should not forget we come with a completely new car next year," he continued. "We should see how F1 will look with this new chassis and how the speeds are. Then in 2017, once we know what is going on we should sit together."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Paul C, 23/08/2016 3:37

"Franz wants to keep the current power unit? Well, he can keep his current ICE & turbos, but set aside the rest. Make the turbo 1.6 liter v6 one alternative with a normally aspirated 3.0 liter of any configuration the other choice. Anything that turns F1 into hyper miling goes away. No more fuel flow limits, either mechanical or rule driven. No more tires that fall apart on purpose. No more strait jacket rules that make all of the cars look the same. No more penalties for changing components. F1 is about speed, not economy "

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 22/08/2016 16:31

"Personally I think the current Engine\PU is pretty interesting, and manages to be powerful & relatively economical. It doesn't sound that "good" compared to a blaring V8\10\12, but this is Formula 1 and should try to be a bit more technically advanced than simply bolting a V-motor in the back of the chassis.
Hybrid motor packages have worked brilliantly in other forms of motor sport, most spectacularly Le Mans LMP1 class, and there's no rational reason why F1 should be different.

If we move away from discussing the sound of the PUs and their lack of "charisma" and consider instead how to improve the RACING (remember that?) there are plenty of areas that could be looked at, and problems resolved. Here are a few "top of the head" thoughts. I'm sure others could do better without resorting to chucking the hybrid baby out with the cheapness bathwater.

1) The current fuel-flow regs are a silly.
Fill 'em up with X litres and let rip! Anything else is unnecessary complication.

2) Fit decent tyres.
A degree of tyre-management is intrinsic to all motor-sport, but the sight of 22 F1 cars tip-toeing about in case their tyres turn to chewing-gum after 10 laps is pathetic & stupid. That's not to say that tyres with differing characteristics don't have a place, simply that they shouldn't dominate, as at present.

3) Sort-out the aero.
Whatever the die-hard V-motor fans claim, a huge part of most teams' budget goes on aerodynamic tweaking. "Dirty Air" disturbing this complex aero design has already forced the introduction of the infamous DRS, and 2017 cars look likely to be even more sensitive to it. This will require more driver skill, but is also likely to reduce overtaking opportunities.

4) Lower-profile tyres and unrestricted suspension development
This might encourage a bit of innovation outside the Wind-tunnel or PU design-office!

"

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3. Posted by edllorca, 22/08/2016 14:08

"IF we kept this pu formula then I would suggest the following:
1) remove fuel restrictions. Unleash enough power that it is hard to handle
2) automate all engine controls currently at the steering wheel. No more modes etc. set the engine in the pits only via a laptop."

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4. Posted by SideGlance, 22/08/2016 2:11

"I am one of those who HATE the current engine formula, sure fun for the engineers and s/w writers, etc but VERY sucky for us spectators !!!!

This is entertainment NOT road car research !!

The sound is awful, the evenness of the engines is not so close, no decrease in the aero race has occurred, even more so aero waste of money for little gain, and the racing should/could be much more competitive if engines were more even-so much money invested by all the engine developers -waste!

But that sound is dreadful, the time taking to change/repair engine/parts is way too long and expensive in so many ways including costs.

In my opinion NOTHING is positive about the current engine formula.

All the hybrid benefits (if there are really any) for the normal road car could EASILY been gained/learned by, wait, actual research & development - wow & likely for a heck of less money !!

But if hybrid is the 'way forward' then they need to get serious and look at MORE electric harvesting/use and a heck of less hydrocarbon fuel !!! At least that would have some semblance of actual 'real world' use to it."

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5. Posted by gturner38, 21/08/2016 6:41

"Tost is absolutely right. If they rewrite the regulations entirely, then we get another massive increase in costs as they get into an arms race trying to develop the new technology. By keeping it the same, they'll have power units that have largely been maximized so we can expect the gaps to shrink by 2020. There won't be as much incentive to push development forward or much of a disadvantage to customer teams if they buy year old designs. It will be cheaper in the long run. Fuel limits can be changed if you really feel the need to do so without throwing out the whole engine.
"

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6. Posted by Tweek, 21/08/2016 3:48

"Trump is going to build a wall around Franz Tost. It going to be the best wall in..... Well it's going to be the second best wall in the world, you'll see. And Trump will get Tost to pay for it. It's gonna be great !
Sorry. Couldn't help it. >;)
Use something that will draw new manufacturers to F1 ( because the field is dwindling ). Something fans can understand ( because we won't want what we can't comprehend ). Ohh and quit regulating how many engines they can have and how much fuel they use, that ain't racing, it's BORING!!!!!!!!!!"

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7. Posted by Ro, 20/08/2016 17:29

""fanmtastic Power Unit" ??? wake up and smell the coffee Mr Tost, this engine formula is killing F1"

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Retain current engine formula urges Tost

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