Mecachrome has become the latest engine manufacturer to join the bidding process to become Formula One's budget engine supplier in 2017.
Last week Ilmor and Advanced Engine Research (AER) put their names forward for the engine concept the FIA is pushing ahead with following Ferrari's decision to veto a cost cap on customer engines. The sport's governing body hopes to cut costs for smaller teams with its alternative power unit.
Mecachrome, which has prepared and assembled Renault engines in F1 for a number of years and also supplied feeder series GP2, has revealed its interest at being the supplier and is confident it can have an engine ready for use in a short timeframe.
"We won a few months ago the GP3 engine supplier deal from 2016, which will be an atmospheric 3.4L V6," Mecachrome's racing activities director Jean-Charles Raillat told Motorsport.com. "We also won the supplier contract for GP2 series from 2017 with a turbo V6, also a 3.4L.
"The FIA request for proposal in F1 imposes a 2.5-litre maximum. Our developed engine basis is absolutely compatible with this FIA request. In terms of resources and capacities, we are totally there. We are used, at Mecachrome, to conceive and industrialize an engine in six months. The planning window is still quite large for us."
The FIA's call for interest in supplying the alternative engine also came with the request to prove it came with a viable business plan. Raillat believes Mecachrome would only need to supply two teams to be profitable as the alternative engine supplier.
"It's maybe a bit easier for us than for others in that area. We already have a good existing basis that is ready - of course with development required.Our evaluation is at least two teams for it to be profitable for us on a financial level, and also be able to be within the targets set out by the FIA. Two teams, four cars : that's our evaluation."
"What maybe differentiates Mecachrome is that it has been a very, very long time that we have been dealing with Formula One. We have been managing a lot of major programmes in parallel. If you look at last year, Renault were supplying four teams : we were managing that side. We also managed GP2 Series and we will now supply GP3 Series.
"We are used to that and we have the human and technical resources. We have testing dynos. There is no specific construction plan needed. And the projects we manage are complete all the way, from conception to production and set-up, as well as with the provision of track assistance and exploitation."