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Todt resurrects 'global engine' idea for Formula 1

FIA president Jean Todt has resurrected the idea of a 'global engine' that could be used in both Formula 1 and other motorsport series.

 Jolyon Palmer, Renault Sport F1 Team RS17, Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber C36, Fernando Alonso, McLaren MCL32, Carlos Sainz Jr., Scuderia Toro Rosso STR12, chase the pack at the start

Jolyon Palmer, Renault Sport F1 Team RS17, Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber C36, Fernando Alonso, McLaren MCL32, Carlos Sainz Jr., Scuderia Toro Rosso STR12, chase the pack at the start

Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Jean Todt, FIA President
Start: #1 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid: Neel Jani, Andre Lotterer, Nick Tandy leads
 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W08, at the start of the race
Start: #18 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb leads
Daniil Kvyat, Scuderia Toro Rosso STR12, Lance Stroll, Williams FW40, Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team VF-17 and Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team VF-17 at the start
Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-Benz F1 W08 Hybrid at the start of the race

The concept was previously proposed in the late 2000s, when the FIA commissioned British engineering consultancy Ricardo to investigate the potential for a common rules package to create a base engine that could be adapted for use in as many as 11 major series around the world.

The 2009 report proposed that championships ranging from F1 and IndyCar to single-seater ladder categories, rallying, touring cars and prototype sportscars could use versions of the same engine, but the concept fizzled out amid concerns over cost and practicality from the targeted championships and manufacturers.

But with huge investment needed to produce engines for the current hybrid F1 regulations, Todt suggested reviving the global rules concept could be attractive.

"Probably what we should say, which is not easy as well, is could we use this [F1] engine in other categories of motorsport?" he said.

"At the moment each category of motorsport has its own single regulations, so probably we should try to see if we can have some synergies."

Todt highlighted the World Endurance Championship's LMP1 class as a candidate for sharing engine rules with F1, saying grand prix racing's move towards longer-life engines made it more practical for its technology to be used in long-distance sportscar racing too.

"We have the endurance championship with LMP1," said Todt.

"We have completely different engines, so would it make sense to anticipate a future for the endurance championship using this synergy - which incidentally is covering the same kind of mileage."

The WEC is currently assessing options for future rules packages as it reacts to Porsche and Audi's departures from LMP1.

Though a move towards road-car styling has been mooted for 2020/21, a major change in engine philosophy is considered unlikely as privateers have been promised rules stability.

Motorsport.com understands that Todt's 'global engine' idea has not so far been formally suggested to LMP1 teams.

F1 and top-level sportscar racing's last attempt to share engine technology proved ill-fated, when Group C's move towards F1's 3.5-litre engines led to the decline and eventual demise of the World Sportscar Championship ahead of the 1993 season.

Additional reporting by Gary Watkins

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