JANUARY 17, 2000

F1 rules - meetings this week

THERE are to be a series of important technical meetings in the next few days as the Formula 1 teams try to agree on a new set of technical rules for the 2001 season. A meeting of the F1 technical working group last week helped to move the discussions along but we expect there to be more concrete proposals after a second meeting of the engineers on Tuesday. There will also be a meeting of team bosses on Monday, January 24, prior to a full Formula 1 Commission meeting on Wednesday, January 26. By then it is hoped that firm proposals will have been prepared so that they can be voted through for the next FIA World Motor Sport Council to discuss.

There have been all kinds of rumors in recent weeks as to the form the new rules will take but to date the only thing that is certain is that V12 engines will not be allowed. It has been announced by the FIA that cars will use V10 engines until the end of the current Concorde Agreement on December 31, 2007. The regulations being discussed should see a drastic reduction in downforce and an increase in safety but team bosses are worried that the cars will not look spectacular unless other changes are made. There has been considerable discussion about legalizing traction-control but the FIA remains opposed to the idea despite the fact that most of the teams would prefer to see it. There is considerable suspicion that more than one team has been using traction-control in recent months and that the FIA has not been able to trace it.