• The Inside Line

A fair paradox

The McLaren-Honda completed a handful of laps in Abu Dhabi last November © Getty Images

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All's fair in love and war, apparently. But not all is fair in motorsport, and that's without even gently prodding the nest of vipers that is the sport's financial level playing field (or lack thereof).

It's not fair when the hard work of teams comes to nothing because one team's hard work has come to everything, a la Ferrari and the Schumacher glory years. It's not fair when one driver - supported by the best designer - is able to maximise technology to such an extent that the other teams needn't bother turning up, as was the case with SebVet and Red Bull until very recently. And it's not fair when Mercedes develops a power unit so good it puts all the others in the shade.

It's not fair, but it happens. It's how this sport works, and - given the envelope-pushing nature of the teams' technical departments - it's how this sport is driven. Find the unfair but legal advantage no one else has spotted in the rule book and then exploit it till it's either copied or banned.

After a winter's worth of back and forth over just how much engine development will be allowed in 2015, we're now looking at the homologation loophole which will see engine manufacturers hedge their bets in the balance between maximum allowable development and timing the homologation and introduction of the new power units.

With the exception of McLaren-Honda (for now, at least) teams have a certain amount of flexibility when it comes to 2015 power units, based on the decisions being made by their engine supplier. The 2015 power units do not need to be homologated by 28 February - although Honda needs to meet that deadline according to the FIA's current position - and can instead introduce their upgraded engines at any point in the season.

While Honda is currently protesting the fairness of their 28 February deadline - the same one the other engine manufacturers were held to when introducing the new power units in 2014 - it is unlikely that the Japanese manufacturer will win their case.

When the new power unit homologation process - with allowable modifications found in grid form as an appendix to the technical regulations - were published for 2014, the summary of allowable percentage changes showed a process starting in 2015. Having run their homologated units for the 2014 season, teams earned tokens with which to make modifications over the winter.

But Honda is yet to run its power unit, filming days and post-season tests excepted. In engine terms, it is a new entrant and should be placed on the same terms as the other manufacturers were when introducing their new power units last year: subject to an official deadline and yet to earn any homologation tokens.

By the same token, however, when it comes to 2016 and the other engine manufacturers see 23% of their power units frozen for development, Honda should only be subject to the eight percent freeze its rivals have been working to this winter.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Feeds: Kate Walker

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