'Fans should be king' when it comes to future engine rules - Marko

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When it comes to Formula 1's future engine rules, Red Bull's Helmut Marko likes what he's seen so far, but ultimately the fans should have the last word.

F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn and his team of specialists put together a draft proposal for the sport's future power unit platform from 2021.

Unfortunately, the initial plan left both Ferrari and Mercedes unimpressed. Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne threatened to quit the sport after 2020 should Liberty pursue a dumbed-down engine concept favoring standardisation, while Toto Wolff also believes that F1 should remain the pinnacle of technology.

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Marko however believes the concept concocted by Brawn - which favours a simplified hybrid unit - is following the right path.

"It is going in the right direction. Clearly it could not go on like it was," Marko told Formula1.com.

"The rules are too complicated. The fan should be king, they should easily understand what is going on – and that is not possible with the current engine rules."

Since the advent of the hybrid era in 2015, Red Bull has struggled with engine partner Renault who itself has battled with reliability issues often linked to the hybrid components of its power unit, such as the MGU-H, an area which Mercedes has obviously mastered.

Marko therefore considers the German manufacturer's defensive reaction to the new rules as predictable.

"Of course I also see Toto Wolff’s viewpoint: if he loses his engine he loses most of his advantage – so he is fighting against it.

"How will it end? I think we will get technically simpler engines, less expensive but more noisy. We are moving there."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.