McLaren are confident a ‘fair and equitable’ compromise will be agreed to solve F1’s latest engine squabble following an FIA directive which will allow Honda to develop their engines during the 2015 season.

Following a meeting between the sport’s governing body and a delegation from Honda on Monday, the FIA have agreed that McLaren’s new power providers will be permitted to change their engine design even after the season has commenced.

The FIA had previously ruled that only Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari, the sport’s three engine providers in 2014, could use 32 ‘tokens’ to upgrade their V6 units during the season, but Honda would have to provide a definitive version of their engine by February 28.

However, it’s understood that in a complicated ruling sent to the teams by Charlie Whiting, the FIA race director, Honda will now be able to make a specified number of amendments based on the average number of unused tokens by its three rivals when the season starts in March.

Honda's rivals have previously argued that the 2015 newcomers should be made to 'suffer' the same difficulties they endured twelve months ago at the troubled onset of F1's new turbo era. The latest directive from the FIA means, however, that the number of changes Honda will be able to make during 2015 will be directly dependent on the progress Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault make with their new units before the season starts on March 15 in Melbourne.

While Mercedes are believed to be on schedule with their new engine, both Renault and Ferrari, who first pointed out that there was a loophole in the regulations which failed to specify a homologation date for 2015, are expected to continue tweaking their V6s through the course of the season as they strive to catch the Silver Arrows.
McLaren are yet to officially comment on the FIA's ruling.