Ongoing discussions between the FIA, Formula 1 and teams during the war-induced break have centred on improving qualifying and addressing safety concerns, with Permane indicating any adjustments would likely be introduced step by step across upcoming rounds.
“I think they can happen in a lot more than [two stages],” Permane told Speedcafe and other media.
“There are many suggestions that have been put forward. I think that we have a particularly tough time with Miami being a Sprint because there’s really little time to test anything.
“So it may well be that we try some of the ones that are a little bit simpler and less risky in Miami, and then we try some more in Montreal, and then of course we go to Monaco where it’s almost impossible to test anything.
“So Barcelona might be the first time when we try some of the more challenging ones.
“I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily two [updates], I would say we should keep open-minded and maybe this is a continuous thing.
“I don’t know, that would be driven by the FIA and by F1, but I don’t think we should limit ourselves.
“Certainly, we can keep working at it.”
The sweeping engine and chassis changes introduced this season have drawn mixed reactions, particularly from drivers frustrated by lift-and-coast racing and energy management in qualifying.
Despite that criticism, Permane believes the on-track product has still delivered at times, even if opinion remains divided between traditional fans and newer audiences.
“It’s not an easy one,” he said.
“We obviously have to listen to the drivers. I think there are two groups – well maybe that’s simplifying a little bit – but I think the die-hard fans are very upset about it, you can see, but also I think that maybe the casual viewers actually find it very exciting.
“I have to admit I think that some of the race battles have been immense and I got distracted myself on the pit wall watching the Ferraris race each other in Shanghai, I thought it was great.
“And even some of the stuff in Melbourne… I know it was a little bit that those first laps in Melbourne, I think when you replay it and watch them back ‘Oh yeah, he’s using his energy there and then he’s getting overtaken here’, but actually when you watch it live actually I found it quite exciting.”
Permane pointed to a stakeholder meeting last week between teams, the FIA and Formula 1 as “very productive”, with further discussions this week and next set to determine which changes could be rolled out as early as the next round in Miami.
He added key priorities remain making qualifying more “flat-out” and driver-focused, while also reducing dangerous closing speeds highlighted by the recent incident at the Japanese Grand Prix involving Ollie Bearman and Franco Colapinto.
“We need to be careful when we do that, that we’re not taking away some of the spectacle, or too much of the spectacle,” Permane added.
“Because one way to reduce closing speeds of course is to remove things like the boost, reduce things like the extra energy that’s available to the drivers when they’re within a second of the car in front, and that will no doubt reduce those closing speeds but it’ll also likely reduce overtaking as well.
“So we just need to be careful that we strike the right balance there I think.”
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