Formula One is due to scrap its controversial engine token system by 2017, according to Renault Sport F1's managing director Cyril Abiteboul.
The token system was designed to prevent an expensive arms race developing under the current V6 turbo engine regulations, but in return for reducing the cost of engines for customers by 2017 the manufacturers will be allowed more freedom to develop. The limit on the amount of engines a driver can use per season will remain in place, with penalties for those that exceed it, which should still provide a brake on the amount of updates a team introduces.
Abiteboul hopes the change will make it possible for teams to catch up with Mercedes at the front of the grid and make the engine regulations easier to understand for fans.
"The token system is being removed," Renault's Cyril Abiteboul was quoted by Motorpsort.com. "One of the reasons we have all agreed to do this is that we all need the performance of the engine to converge. An F1 that is dictated by the performance of the engine is not good for anyone.
"You see it is not good for Mercedes, it is not good for Renault, Ferrari - we all have interest to change that. We have decided, also for the public, to stop the public being confused between the penalty system, the token system - we have decided to simply remove the token system."
Under this year's regulations, manufacturers will still be restricted to 32 tokens over the course of this season, which is the same scope for development they had in 2015. In 2017 it was due to reduce to 25 tokens then 20 tokens by 2018 and 15 tokens by 2019, but those limitations will now be scrapped.