Formula 1 Chairman Chase Carey believes the sport can still attract new manufacturers despite initial proposals to overhaul engine regulations for 2021 having been reined in.
Formula 1 currently features four engine suppliers, with Honda joining existing entrants Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault in 2015.
No new manufacturers have signalled their intent to join Formula 1 in the period since, with 2021 regulations set to be more transitional than initially proposed.
Carey, though, still reckons a new manufacturer could commit to the sport, having been “encouraged” by tentative discussions with parties.
“What we really came to an agreement with [was that] everyone got persuaded by the stabilising [of the regulations],” he said.
“When you have a new engine it’s [a case of] everybody starts over and there’s always unintended consequences out of a new engine.
“The intent of this [the 2021 regulations] was not just to develop a path for existing [entrants] but develop a path we think is enticing and interesting for new [entrants].
“We clearly have technology that is miles beyond anything else out there at any level. The efficiency of these engines, you know one of the things that hasn’t been told well enough is the hybrid engine that came out a few years ago… the incredible performance it gets today with a much more fuel efficient basis than prior engines.
“We wanted to continue to make sure we had a hybrid engine that was road relevant today, but at the top of the pyramid in terms of technology that in many ways is at the forefront of what’s going on in the world.
“Part of that is what attracts the right new engine manufacturers into it as well.
“I do think [with] the path we’re on, we have had some discussions with potential new entrants, we're encouraged.
“I think there’s broad agreement the path we’ve landed on for going forward is the right path for everybody, again existing and new.”
