FIA Approve New Rules

By Ian Lockwood
March 22 2006

The FIA World Motor Sport Council met today in Paris to discuss the rules for F1 in 2008 and beyond. The meeting approved the rules suggested by Max Mosley. A window of opportunity to sign up to F1 in 2008 was also agreed.

The FIA is keen to get teams signed up to the Formula 1 World Championship, sooner rather than later. In order to achieve this goal they have introduced a time frame by which current teams must sign up to be guaranteed entry. After this time, entries can be accepted from any interested and capable parties up to a maximum of 12 teams in total.

The period given for entries is short - between 24 March and 31 March 2006. After 31st March all teams who have entered will be invited to meetings in which the 2008 regulations will be refined and finalised. Any chnages to the current rulings that effect car design must be finalised by 30th June this year to allow sufficient time for changes to be incorporated into the design process.

"The regulations not affecting the design of the cars can be modified at any point up to the start of the 2008 season," said a FIA statement.

It also said "A regulation can be modified following a majority vote of the Sporting Working Group, consisting of one senior representative from each team, and ratification by the Formula One Commission and the World Motor Sport Council."

The proposed 2008 Sporting Regulations can be found at

http://www.fia.com/resources/documents/893968003__22_03_2006_F1_Sporting_Regs_2008.pdf

Some key changes include the introduction of a control tyre, and the removal of the 10 place grid penalty in favour of a 15kg weight penalty for premature engine changes.