Formula 1 will not become a significantly slower sport with the introduction of turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 power units. This is the view of Rob White, the Deputy Managing Director of Renault Sport F1.

Although leading paddock figures have suggested that lap times could raise significantly as a result of the sport’s technical overhaul, White says there is no reason to be overly concerned about on-track performance.

When asked if Formula 1 will retain its speed, White said: “The short answer is yes. What was an academic question in the beginning has become a lot more real from every point of view, but we have no need to worry.

“Obviously we are still in the virtual world and not on-track but we have measured PU performance on the test bed and have matched the most optimistic predictions. Click here for more