Renault wants 'elements of standardization' to keep teams honest

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Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul believes limited use of standard parts in F1's future engine regulations could help alleviate fears of cheating in the sport.

Ferrari recently came under the scrutiny of the FIA after its rivals had expressed their suspicions about the SF70-H's hybrid system.

The Scuderia's car was deemed as legal by the governing body, but the ever-increasing complexity of F1's power units has generated fears that engineers could seek equally complex ways of circumventing the rules.

For Abiteboul, introducing elements of standardization in the future could reduce those fears among competitors.

"I don't want to create a debate here, but I think we need to think how we can help the FIA, regarding the enforceability of the regulations," Abiteboul told Autosport.

"I really believe that the complexity of the engine is such that I would not want to have myself to police it. So I think we need to figure that out.

"I really believe that some elements of standardisation are not just useful but absolutely necessary if we want to retain some confidence between all the participants."

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Abiteboul admitted that currently, opportunities exist for Renault's engineers to beat the rules, with the team refraining from going down that dodgy path for obvious reasons.

"I think that, frankly, if we wanted to cheat on the current engine, we would know how to do it, and that's an issue," said the Frenchman.

"We are a very large corporation and we would never do such a thing like that, we can't afford the reputation risk.

"I'm not saying that anyone is cheating, but I think it'd be good to get rid of all the speculation, by doing some local and targeted standardisation, and we've put forward some proposals in relation to that."

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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.