By Alan Baldwin
LONDON, April 8 (Reuters) - Formula One's top technical minds will get together on Thursday for the first of a series of meetings to discuss the sport's new engine rules and what tweaks need to be made after three races.
Insiders expect energy management, the need to 'lift and coast' and 'super clipping' to dominate the initial agenda in London.
There is unlikely to be much immediate news from what will be an extended discussion over the next few weeks before any decisions, including
likely software changes to the energy equation, are taken.
The new power units, split roughly 50-50 between electric and combustion power, have brought fresh challenges.
Drivers are having to tactically ease off the throttle early and coast into high-speed corners that would normally be a big test of bravery so the combustion engine can recharge the battery.
'Super-clipping' is when energy is automatically diverted from engine to battery, with the effect of slowing a car on the straight even if the driver wants to be on full throttle.
The sport has time to take stock of the biggest rule change in at least a generation because April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to the Iran war and conflict in the region.
"It has been the consistent position of all stakeholders that a structured review would take place after the opening phase of the season, to allow for sufficient data to be gathered and analysed," the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said after last month's Japanese Grand Prix.
"A number of meetings are therefore scheduled in April to assess the operation of the new regulations and to determine whether any refinements are required.
"Any potential adjustments, particularly those related to energy management, require careful simulation and detailed analysis," it added.
Thursday's meeting of technical boffins, without team principals present, will discuss ideas and options with a further gathering a week later.
The team principals, FIA and Formula One bosses will then meet on April 20 with proposals expected to emerge and be put to an online e-vote.
Insiders cautioned that significant change could still be elusive, with various vested interests at play and a consensus required.
The drivers have been consulted for their input with some speaking out in favour of the new form of racing while others, including Red Bull's four-times world champion Max Verstappen, have been highly critical.
While there has been more overtaking, with drivers passing and repassing each other as their cars take turns deploying and harvesting electrical energy, some such as Verstappen argue that the racing has become "a joke" and "fundamentally flawed".
There have also been concerns about safety with cars circulating at significantly different speeds and the effect on qualifying.
The next race is the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
