The proposed regulation changes to Formula 1 including a cost cap could spell the end to the two-tier field that currently exists.
Since 2013, no team other than Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull have won a race. This has left the likes of McLaren, Renault, Williams, Toro Rosso, Sauber, Haas, and Force India squabbling for points and nothing more.
Speaking to Motorsport, Force India chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer said a proposed cap of $150 million per team per season would be good for the sport.
“The two tiers are defined by your budget. What restricts us is the budget that we have to enable us to do many experiments to produce what’s optimal.
“If you don’t have the budget to produce it instantly it lags coming to the track from the time you found the improvement.
“If you’ve got the money, you’ll have the parts tomorrow. You’ll either get a bigger supplier base or buy the machinery yourself to make it.
“Once the cost cap comes in and we’re all spending the same amount, all that stuff goes away. That should bring the field together,” Szafnauer said.
Unsurprisingly, not everyone is so thrilled about potential cost caps. Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says a $150 million budget is simply unachievable for the sport’s three big teams. Last year, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all spent in excess of $300 million and obviously want to do everything they can to maintain an advantage over the rest of the paddock.
Another way to even the playing field in Formula 1 would be to introduce standardized parts, similar to what IndyCar has done.