SEPTEMBER 28, 2003

A lot of talk

The Formula 1 team bosses spent most of their free time on Friday and Saturday in Indianapolis locked in discussion about the shape that the future of F1 should take. The discussions center on the format which is needed to ensure that F1 creates a better show in the future without increasing costs. A whole host of ideas have been put forward and discussed and agreement, always difficult to find amongst those involved, appears to be close although some are using the situation to try to push rules that they wish to see in place. We hear that one engine manufacturer is particularly keen on a plan to have the FIA keep engines for two weeks between events to ensure that teams run in all the available sessions if engine life is limited to 700kms. The argument is that if there is a one engine rule for each F1 weekend, teams will stop running on Saturdays so as to save its engines for the race on Sunday.

For the moment there are no specific agreements and a further meeting has been called at London's Heathrow Airport on Thursday before the meeting of the F1 Commission on Friday and the subsequent gathering of the World Motor Sport Council the following week in Paris. This will establish the F1 rules for next year.