Formula One news

Cosworth to supply F1 with standard engines

The FIA announced on Friday that it believes it is now even more important to cut costs in Formula 1. 'The announcement of Honda's intended withdrawal from Formula One has confirmed the FIA's longstanding concern that the cost of competing in the World Championship is unsustainable,' a FIA statement said. In order to do so the FIA granted Cosworth the exclusive right to build a standard engine for Formula 1.

The Cosworth deal though doesn't mean every Formula 1 team will have to buy its engine from Cosworth. The teams are given three options as of 2010: buy the engine at Cosworth, build your own engine but with the technical specs supplied by Cosworth or the right to continue to use a team's existing engine, with the current ban on development and requirement for engine parity still in place (noting that the engine supplied will become the reference engine for output and other performance indicators and no engine will be permitted to exceed those indicators).

FIA President Max Mosley said in a letter to the Formula 1 teams: "Further to my letter of 18 November (copy attached for convenience), we have completed the tendering process and are now in exclusive negotiations with Cosworth together with Xtrac and Ricardo Transmissions (XR) to supply a complete Formula One power train starting in 2010. The engine will be a current Formula One engine while the transmission will be state-of-the-art Formula One and a joint effort by two companies which already supply transmissions to most of the grid.

"The cost to each team taking up this option will be an up-front payment of £1.68M (€1.97M) and then £5.49M (€6.42M) per season for each of the three years of the supply contract (2010, 2011, 2012). This price is based on four teams signing up and includes full technical support at all races and official tests, plus 30,000 km of testing. The annual cost will reduce if more teams take up the option, for example to £4.99M (€5.84M) per team with eight teams. It will further reduce if less than 30,000 km of testing is required. Neither engine nor transmission will be badged."

more news

• 25 Nov.
  • 'Fantastic opportunity' - Di Resta on Force India test
  • Recap: N.Technology court bid fails
  • BMW testers excited about Jerez
  • Brawn disappointed with Button drives, ponders Lauda
  • Piquet to drive in Massa kart race
  • Brawn aero chief wins award
  • Gillett disappointed with government position
  • Mercedes hopes to confirm line-up by Christmas
• 24 Nov.
  • Briatore verdict expected in January
  • Donington still hopeful over F1 race
  • Montreal race confirmation imminent
  • Massa names drivers for karting event
  • Campos car passes FIA safety tests
  • Strong test could seal drive, says Mallya
  • Force India to test di Resta and Hildebrand
  • Courts to hear Briatore case
  • Silverstone GP deal forthcoming
• 23 Nov.
  • GPUpdate TV: Sam Michael - building on 2009
  • Theissen waiting on entry decision
  • Mercedes delighted with Rosberg confirmation
  • Confirmed: Rosberg to Mercedes for 2010
  • Manor hoping to run in late January
  • Mercedes poised to announce first driver
  • Kobayashi: I expected to be re-signed
  • Nakajima future in Toyota's hands
  • Klien still hoping for 2010 seat
  • McLaren line-up will work, says Ecclestone
  • López: USF1 deal coming next week
• 22 Nov.
  • Photos: 2009 Toyota Motor Sports Festival
  • Vettel surprised by Button team switch
• 21 Nov.
  • Mercedes: No Schumacher drive with us
  • López close to USF1 deal
  • Options open for Bourdais
• 20 Nov.
  • FIA was using new teams, says Lola
  • Rossi and Newey to contest endurance race
  • Wolff: Worth of privateers on the up
  • Equity sale for 'private motives' - Williams
  • USF1 considering 12 drivers
  • Photos: SKUSA karting event, Las Vegas
  • Buemi and Schumacher to kart in Las Vegas

Homepage