UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Engine rules agreed for 2007

Teams and FIA agree compromise

UpdateSport understand that an agreement has been reached between the FIA, governing body of Formula One, and the teams and manufacturers with regard to the 2007 engine regulations.

For many months now the GPMA, a body consisting of most of the participating manufactures, and the FIA have been at loggerheads over the proposed ‘engine freeze’ regulations favoured by the rule-makers.

We understand that a compromise has been reached, and that although a ‘freeze’ will be implemented, some allowances have been made to satisfy the concerns of the engine manufacturers.

The freeze will not now be total, as the FIA had desired, but will be applied only to certain areas of the engine, with development permitted for a greater time scale than previously proposed.

Teams are now required to submit their engines to the FIA at either the Japanese or Brazilian Grand Prix, and will then have up until the 15th of December to submit what is being referred to as a ‘retuning list’, which will specify parts that the manufacturer would like to carry out modifications to. Once approved, they will then have up to March 1st, 2007, to carry out the modifications and present the revised unit to the FIA for homologation. This is a far less restrictive than the October date that the teams had previously been given for final homologation.

The revised unit will then be the race engine for 2007 and 2008, with only revisions that concern reliability permitted. This, of course, opens up a ‘grey area’ that may have future consequences.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, quoted on Autosport.com, said “In my view everything is settled now. I think it is OK, because the homologation is restricted to the sealed parts of the engine, so we can do some quite significant work on the intake and exhaust side, plus ancillaries."

Mercedes’ Norbert Haug also commented favourably on the agreement.

The rules for 2009 onwards will be decided at a later date, and are expected to include the much-vaunted energy renewal and recovery systems, although we do believe the intention is to use the same engine block.

UpdateSport will bring you any further reaction to what must be considered a major step in the right direction.

Written: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 09:48:38