Driver Aids To Stay Until 2004

[daz 0]

The FIA today sent the following note to all the F1 teams:

"The technical devices which will ensure the absence of driver aids (in particular launch control, traction control and fully-automatic gearboxes require substantial investment. The FIA is reluctant to commit the necessary resources until actual or threatened arbitration proceedings have been resolved. Accordingly, the full enforcement of the long-established ban on in-car driver aids will be delayed until the first race of the 2004 season. If current uncertainties have not been resolved before the deadline for ordering the technical devices for 2004, competing teams will be required to demonstrate the absence of driver aids to the satisfaction of the stewards at each event of the 2004 and subsequent Championships."

From the above I guess it could be said the RD & FW have won round one with their threatened litigation. Personally I'm quite disappointed that what was probably going to be the best changes to the sport aren't going to come in this year. I was looking forward to seeing real drivers skill again but I guess its not to be.

What are your opinions on the above?

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Well it is a step in the right direction for Ron and Frank, it's not as if they are delaying it long, after Silverstone we are past the halfway point of the year so not too long...

But I was looking forward to it as well, but I guess it will be beneficiary in the end, and it will be more stable for the new cars. Don't know how teams will react to it, they've probably been doing a lot of testing for when the electronics leave F1! Then again, Mclaren have said they boast good electronics, so it will just help Kimi!

[nichosnz 0]

I am dissapointed too, as I was looking foward to the removal of such 'driver-less' devices.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

EDITED

(brain fade on my part)

[nichosnz 0]

Is that in the wrong topic Jens, should it be in 'Changes to Monaco...'

[GaySchumi 0]

In the first place, it wasn't right for the FIA to dangle that little rule over the collective heads of the F1 teams, since a lot of them had gone ahead with prep for the coming year, but now, with this reversal, they're doing further damage if teams had started preparing for the Brit GP ...

However, all that said and done, looking at the lack of comments so far(from the teams), I have a sneaking suspicion that the teams knew there was a high probability of the changes being put off ...

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

You're right Nichos, brain fade on my part, don't know what I was thinking!

I don't think the teams would have been getting too ready for Silverstone just yet, so it won't be too big of a problem. But this really doesn't do much good for consistency..

[nichosnz 0]

I know how easy that is Jens.

Even if the teams have started preperation for the British GP rule changes, it is not so great a loss, they still have to do it for next year, so it will just put them ahead of schedule, in those areas.