Former FIA technical director responsible for engines Giles Simons, says the introduction of four-wheel-drives (4WD) to Formula 1 car might aid the championship's ultimate goal of becoming more sustainable. One of F1's key targets is to become more sustainable over the course of the next decade. While the sport has so far rejected the notion of going completely electric , the next era of F1 engines will focus as much on efficiancy as it does on performance. One possible way to make sure that the energy recovery systems perform at an optimal level is to switch the basic principals of the car turning them from rear wheel driver (the engine only sends power to the rear wheels) to four wheel drive (the engine sends power to all four wheels). "This (4WD) could also be put on the table," Simons told RacingNews365.com . "Obviously, a four-wheel drive car is very efficient in terms of recovery, in terms of performance, in terms of cornering. But it's an added complexity." Simon, who announced his retirement shortly after the interview - replaced by Xavier Mestelan Pinon, formerly motorsport director for Stellantis - will continue as a consultant to the governing body. The former FIA director also added that this is not something that is set in stone and the concept is still very much under consideration. "We have to evaluate this, is it the right direction for Formula One to go this way? We need to think about a completely car new car, because we are speaking today about new engine, but there is a completely new car coming [in 2025] with this new engine obviously. "It is still early in the programme, and we are looking far and wide and then together [with F1 and the power unit suppliers] we will define the direction."
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