Formula 1 teams need to be open to the idea of greater co-operation between themselves if they are to make the most of the radical 2014 change in regulations.
That is the view of new Caterham boss Cyril Abiteboul, who thinks that the scale of the challenge teams face when new 1.6-litre turbo engines come in means that going it alone could be a hindrance.
“Potentially this breakthrough will require some partnership between the teams, and that is not only for teams like us,” Abiteboul told AUTOSPORT in an exclusive interview.
“I can feel that it will be just like in the automotive business when you want to produce a new product: you try and share the platform – that is what Renault, Alpine and Caterham will be doing [for a new sportscar for 2015].
Click here to read how Abiteboul plans to lift Caterham in 2013 and beyond
“You want to be more efficient, you want to be more competitive – and therefore you work in collaboration.
“I think the same thing that will have to happen in F1.
“It is a bit new to F1, because the teams also have to compete against each on the track, but I think the future will be about collaboration – and 2014 will urge us into considering more collaboration.”
Although Abiteboul is eager for closer ties between teams, he has made it clear that he is not advocating tie-ups going as far as leading to the return of customer cars to F1.
“There is a limit and in particular we don’t want customer cars,” he said.
“But between no collaboration at all and customer cars, there is a compromise to be found.
“I am sure we can do better than we do right now – both for Caterham and F1 in general.”
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