MARCH 17, 2009

Radical stuff from the FIA

The FIA World Council has been meeting today in Paris and has ruled the that there will be the possibility for F1 teams to compete with cars built and operated within a stringent budget cap of $42m.

The FIA World Council has been meeting today in Paris and has ruled the that there will be the possibility for F1 teams to compete with cars built and operated within a stringent budget cap of $42m. This figure will cover all expenditure of any kind. Anything subsidised or supplied free will be deemed to have cost its full commercial value and rigorous auditing procedures will apply. In order for the cars to be able to compete with the existing machinery, the cost-capped cars will be allowed greater technical freedom, including a more aerodynamically efficient but standard underbody, movable wings and an engine that is not subject to a rev limit or a development freeze. The FIA will have the right to adjust elements of these freedoms to ensure that the cost-capped cars have neither an advantage nor a disadvantage when compared to cars running to the existing rules.

In order to improve the quality of F1's presentation the FIA will publich car weights aftyer qualifying. The tyres will have different nomenclature with wet tyres becoming known as intermediates and extreme weather tyres becoming wets. In addition drivers will have to make themselves available for autograph signings in their designated team space in the pit lane on the first day of practice. Drivers who are knocked out in qualifying must be available for media interviews at the end of each session and all drivers must do the same during and after the race, depending on what has happened to them. During the races each team must have at least one senior spokesperson available for interviews by officially accredited TV crews.