Honda’s head of F1 project Yusuke Hasegawa has backed the scrapping of the token system which restricts power unit development.
The FIA announced during the Russian Grand Prix weekend that an agreement had been reached and approved by the World Motor Sport Council which would see the token system removed from 2017 onwards amid other measures to reduce the cost of power units to customer teams. With Honda having struggled upon its return to F1 in 2015, the token system restricted it from making any major changes during the season but Hasegawa is pleased those limitations have now been removed.
“We are happy to have removed the tokens for next season so we can have more freedom for the development which is good,” Hasegawa said. “Cost reduction is very tough for every manufacturer but we are happy and agree about that.”
The engine manufacturers are also looking to increase the noise of the power units, something Hasegawa feels is an unnecessary undertaking.
“On noise, I don’t personally agree and don’t know that we really need such a huge noise for F1 but if they want to introduce that we will follow their opinions and we have some degree of obligation as part of the F1 members so, yes, we can follow that.
“I don’t see that we need to some sort of artificial sound machine but if FOM wants to introduce that, we have to follow but personally I don’t see the benefit of that one.”
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