TEAMS AGREE TO F1 OVERHAUL!!!!

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From ITV-F1.com:

TEAMS AGREE TO F1 OVERHAUL

Last Updated: Tuesday, 04 May , 2004, 16:53

Formula 1 teams have endorsed FIA president Max Mosley's plans to overhaul the sport.

Team bosses agreed to enact many of the sweeping changes proposed by Mosley at a meeting in Monaco on Tuesday.

Standard electronic control units will be introduced to dispense with traction control while testing will be heavily restricted or even banned.

There will be a single tyre manufacturer, a move which should see the return of slick tyres. Manufacturers will also discuss a cut in engine capacity.

It is hoped that many of the changes, such as the new engine regulations, will be introduced in time for the 2006 season.

That is more than Mosley had hoped for - he had not envisaged the changes being implemented before the end of the current Concorde Agreement in 2008.

Mosley told Reuters: "I couldn't have asked for more from the meeting.

"It will make Formula 1 more interesting, there will be closer racing and more overtaking - that was the basic idea because that is what the fans want to see.

"It was a very good meeting. Where I had expected very significant dispute and debate there really was none and it was very constructive.

"We went through all of the proposals and discussed them with the teams in some detail and as far as doing things sooner than 2008 there was a wide measure of agreement that we need changes much sooner."

There was almost complete agreement among the teams that costs needed to be reduced, and some changes could be made as early as next season.

There is also the possibility that the current qualifying format could be scrapped before the end of this season.

Mosley added that the threat of a breakaway championship, the GPWC, had been successfully averted after Bernie Ecclestone offered to increase payments to teams.

He said: "Everything the GPWC set out to get, they have got. Their raison d'etre has disappeared."

The GPWC regrouped at the San Marino GP after accusing the banks that own the sport's rights of failing to keep their promises.

However, Ecclestone has now agreed to pay the teams the sums of money they had agreed to when a memorandum of understanding was signed with the banks at the end of last year.

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[This is a more informative article…]

From Autosport.com:

Teams agree to Mosley's F1 plan

F1 summit a success as teams accept F1 revolution in 2006

Max Mosley's plans to revolutionise Formula 1 have been met with approval

Formula 1's team principals have fallen into line over Max Mosley's proposals for a revolution in the sport at a summit called by the FIA in Monaco today.

The rules aimed at reducing costs and making the sport more entertaining have been met with widespread acceptance by the teams and 95 percent of them are expected to be ratified in time for 2006, two years earlier than expected.

However Formula 1's engine manufacturers must attend further meetings starting with one at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend in order to thrash out a definitive set of technical regulations.

At present the choice is between a long-life six-race 3.0-litre engine based on current specifications or an all-new 2.4-litre V8. Either way they have tasked to reduce costs by 50 percent. They also have to decide whether they will resist the introduction of standard ECUs until 2008, automatically banning traction control, or whether this will become part of the 2006 regulations to be ratified at the World Council meeting on June 30.

In summary the meeting decided:

ENGINES

Discussions to take place over size of engines, with change expected to take place from 2006

Standard ECUs will be mandatory from 2008 and discussions are now taking place about whether these can be introduced for 2006

TRANSMISSION, BRAKING AND STEERING

Agreement that the ‘least expensive solutions' to be implemented as soon as possible for braking, steering and transmission

The return of manual gearboxes has been rejected because the current semi-automatic units are more economical

Standard brake discs, pads and callipers will be introduced as soon as possible

CHASSIS

The weight limit reduction could be greater than the proposed 50kg because of the increased weight loss caused by the loss of heavy electronic systems

Discussions have taken place about reducing the number of electronic sensors on the cars and the possibility of introducing a standard data logger

SPORTING

No spare car as it is currently known will be allowed – only a spare monocoque in a pre-packed box

Cars will be held overnight in parc ferme and teams will be allowed to adjust the car but not rebuild it

The creation of new championships, like engine manufacturer or constructors with more teams is open for discussion

A ban on tyre changes in races could happen by 2005

A dramatic reduction in testing will be imposed – to the extent that teams will no longer need to run second test teams alongside their race outfits

The FIA has instructed the teams and Bernie Ecclestone to come up with a better qualifying system to replace the current format

Tender to go out to tyre manufacturers for a single tyre supplier by 2006. The tyre width will be reduced at the front and increased at the rear – with slicks most likely returning

GENERAL

The teams are open to the idea of no restriction on the sale, loan or exchange of chassis and components between teams or new entrants, but require certain guarantees about not devaluing Formula 1 or their own teams' financial situation

Unanimous voting on short term technical rule changes to be replaced by majority voting

There will be no new Concorde Agreement to replace the current one, which runs out at the end of 2007

For the full story on F1's rule revolution read this week's Autosport magazine on sale Thursday.

[nojvnof1 0]

Well done to the teams here. Looks like most of the changes will be brought on and we could see the return of slicks!!!!!!! Well done indeed.

[webber 0]

most of it is OK but 2.4 V8 how s##t is that or a 3.0 V1-0 that has to go for 6 racers man thay relly know how to fip the hart and sole out of a sport. i like how there will be a staned ECU and also the loss of TC is great and the hole big rear tyer thing is kool. ooohhh and the fact thatsmaler teams can buy chassies off a biger team is kool. but its coming close to bening CHAMP CAR and not F1 so i whould like it better if it stayed the same

[C.A.L. 0]

F1 is in serious trouble , the talk of doubling money to the teams is really nothing more than saying the TOP teams will get more but everyone else is not necessarily going to to get the same portion.

(Oh, buy the way ticket sales are way down and T.V. numbers must be down too ....less money coming form that ) ...."nothing from nothing leaves...nothing "

Kind of like the sign on the back of te Garbage truck ; " Double your garbage back if not completely satisified ! " :shock:

Mosely talks of wanting (needing) to get 50% reduction in the costs of engines .....double the revenue return ! (mean while tickets Half price! ) , it would of been better to just give more money to the lesser Teams like 4 years ago than this would of been a far less issue.

I kind of get the feeling the whole lot of them (Think of them as Lemmings) are lead around in a mad charge going to some irreversable position , only the Top Teams with the resources will be able to remake themselves the new development required for their cars in time to retain their position.

Really that is all this is about and its about retaining status quo ,as long as the bottom teams do not receive more percentage on the revenues they can introduce what ever changes the FIA/etc want and it will not change a thing.

The best thing that can happen is if the two really small teams just quit and force the issue cause I am not convinced they will receive anything more from this than what they are receiving right now on their own efforts.

[climber49 0]

Ho Ho Ho Ho........

Max IS a real card at parties. There is NO way the manufacturer teams will ever accept ANYTHING like this.

Look out for the headlines...." Manufacturers revive GPWC threat",

"Teams deadlocked over changes", " Mosley gives way on controversial rule changes", "Manufacturers threaten boycott"....etc etc. Ad Nauseum!

Wake me up if anything happens...........zzzzzzzzzzzz

[climber49 0]

Ho Ho Ho,

Max has changed his mind on clutches and gearboxes already (only took two days)

At this rate we'll be back to the status quo by the end of the month.

GOOD ONE, BIG MAXY!! Never let a good idea get in the way of a vested interest!

[webber 0]

(Oh, buy the way ticket sales are way down and T.V. numbers must be down too ....less money coming form that )   ...."nothing from nothing leaves...nothing

in the Malaser GP tucket sales were down because there was a vote on the same day and well its kind of wrong to not vote like your a## in the slamer/jail wrong. and in Barian were is a total of not many people that live in that dust ridden place so thay dont count and well in Australia there was record sales and well i dont have a clue about Imola

[Senna 0]

If Michael Schumacher keeps dominating F1, I suspect it is an inevitably that TV audiences will drop