FIA had recently sent out a technical directive to all F1 teams, wherein they clearly stated that engine suppliers had to provide identical hardware to all its customers, a rule that was already in place but needed heavy reinforcement.
Suppliers will now have to provide their customers with the same software and operating conditions too.
Teams will also receive identical oil and fuel specifications unless they have opted out of it due to commercial reasons.
Apparently, FIA’s move was aimed at Mercedes, with them apparently not supplying all their customers with the same kind of engines.
The Mercedes chief, Toto Wolff though believes that no teams(especially Williams or Force India) have forced the FIA to take such an action.
“I don’t think any of our customers was pushing for it,” Wolff said.
“It’s not relevant for us, because the rules have been in place for a while that you must supply the customers with the same hardware and software from a power unit standpoint, and we’ve always done that.” he added.
Wolff insisted that Mercedes have always provided Williams and Force India with all special qualifying modes.
Chris Horner actually suggested that Williams was behind the new reinforcement of the ‘Engine parity rule’, with him telling the media, “ask Claire Williams where the impetus for the clampdown came from.”
“Identical modes for the customers and us. There has never been any difference. They have the same mileage allowance as the works team, there is no difference whatsoever.
“That’s why we have no problem with that. If there is any suspicion out there, it certainly wasn’t anything that would have any consequence for us.
“We have the belief that sharing modes and engine calibration among six cars triggers a steeper learning curve for us than running different engine specifications between the customers and the works team.” Wolff said.
