Three Abreast
Piquet, Nakajima and Webber tussle round the Bahrain International Circuit during the Grand Prix last weekend. The FIA today released some more information about the 2010 regulations, including banning refuelling, presumably to try and encourage more behaviour like this.
Credit: Charles Coates/LAT Photographic
30-Apr-09: FIA Release Details on 2010 Budget Cap
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Today is the 30th April and this is F1 Minute.
The FIA released findings today of the extraordinary World Motor Sport Council meeting held in Paris yesterday and some interesting details about the 2010 season were released. Firstly, the optional budget cap figure has been increased to £40 million a year – January to December – but doesn’t cover marketing, driver salaries, FIA fines, engine costs, and dividends paid.
Those signing up to the budget cap need to do so by the end of next month, but in doing so, they will receive the ability to have moveable wings at both ends of the cars, no engine rev limit, and unrestricted winter testing, including wind tunnel useage.
The FIA also confirmed that refuelling and tyre blankets will both be banned for 2010. Reaction from teams has been pretty muted for now, although Williams and McLaren have both shown concern at the idea of F1 becoming a two-tier series.
That’s all for today, please join me again tomorrow for another F1 Minute.
FIA – World Motor Sport Council
An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council was held in Paris on 29 April 2009. The following decisions were taken:
FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
2010 FIA Formula One World Championship
Applications to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship are to be submitted to the FIA during the period 22-29 May 2009. Teams must state in their application whether they wish to compete under cost-cap regulations.
The maximum number of cars permitted to enter the Championship has been increased to 26, two being entered by each competitor.
The FIA will publish the list of cars and drivers accepted on 12 June 2009, having first notified unsuccessful applicants.
Cost Cap Regulations
From 2010, all teams will have the option to compete with cars built and operated within a stringent cost cap.
The cost cap for 2010 will be £40m per annum*. This figure will cover all team expenditure except:
* Marketing and hospitality;
* Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes;
* Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA;
* Engine costs (for 2010 only);
* Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship;
* Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship.
* For the purposes of these Regulations, the financial year is 1 January to 31 December.
A new Costs Commission is being set up to monitor and enforce these cost-cap financial regulations. The Costs Commission will consist of a Chairman and two other Commissioners, appointed by the WMSC for terms of three years.
One Commissioner should be a finance expert and the other should have high level experience in motor sport. The Chairman should have appropriate experience and standing in motor sport or sports governance. All members of the Costs Commission shall be independent of all teams.
In addition to the payments which it already makes to the top ten teams in the Championship, Formula One Management, the commercial rights holder, has agreed to offer participation fees and expenses to the new teams. This includes an annual payment of US$10 million to each team plus free transportation of two chassis and freight up to 10,000 kg in weight (not including the two chassis) as well as 20 air tickets (economy class) for each round trip for events held outside Europe.
To be eligible for this, each new team must qualify as a “Constructor” and demonstrate that it has the necessary facilities, financial resources and technical competence to compete effectively in Formula One.
To enable these cars to compete with those from teams which are not subject to cost constraints, the cost-capped cars will be allowed greater technical freedom.
The principal technical freedoms allowed are:
1. Movable wings, front and rear.
2. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit.
The teams will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing.
Changes applicable to all teams
It was confirmed that from 2010, refuelling during a race will be forbidden in order to save the costs of transporting refuelling equipment and increase the incentive for engine builders to improve fuel economy (to save weight).
It was also confirmed that tyre blankets will be banned and that the ban on other tyre-heating devices will be maintained.
Full details plus information on further amendments to the 2010 Sporting and Technical Regulations will be available shortly on www.fia.com.
By exception, if supported by the Safety Commission, the FIA WMSC may approve the issue of the Formula One Super Licence to persons judged by the Council to have met the intent of the qualification process.
s in the first year.
McLaren attends FIA World Motor Sport Council hearing
This morning the FIA World Motor Sport Council met in Paris to discuss a number of subjects including issues related to events that took place at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix.
The FIA World Motor Sport Council members heard from Martin Whitmarsh (Team Principal) and have issued the following statement:
“Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC, and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate. The penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.”
McLaren accepts the FIA World Motor Sport Council’s decision and wishes to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for the very fair hearing they have given us this morning.
We now look forward with enthusiasm to continuing our efforts to develop a closer and more co-operative relationship between ourselves and the FIA.
We will also continue to focus our efforts on closing the performance gap that exists between our car and the fastest cars.
Following Lewis Hamilton’s encouraging fourth place in Bahrain last Sunday, we are now optimistic that we will be able to play an increasingly competitive part in what is fast developing into a very exciting season of Formula 1 motor racing.
Martin Whitmarsh (Team Principal) said:
“I would like to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for affording me the opportunity to answer their questions this morning. We are aware that we made serious mistakes in Australia and Malaysia, and I was therefore very glad to be able to apologise for those mistakes once again. I was also pleased to be able to assure the FIA World Motor Sport Council members that we had taken appropriate action with a view to ensuring that such mistakes do not occur again.”
Racing Onwards
The FIA gave McLaren a suspended three-race ban today, which means they are free to continue racing without fear of sanction – unless any new information comes out, or they repeat offend in the next 12 months. Whitmarsh says the team are looking forward to getting back to the racing.
Credit: www.mclaren.com
29-Apr-09: McLaren Receive Three Race Suspended Ban
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This is F1 Minute and it’s the 29th April.
As mentioned yesterday, Martin Whitmarsh faced the World Motorsport Council today, but he was only with them for an hour in the morning, and they had announced their decision by lunchtime. McLaren receive a three race suspended ban, which means no penalty will be incurred as long as nothing further emerges about the incident in question, and so long as the team keep their nose clean for the next 12 months.
Whitmarsh thanked the FIA for allowing him to answer their questions, and naturally the team are looking forward to getting on with the task at hand. Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone says he thinks they got off lightly, but does add that the ruling is fair and straightforward, which in itself is a very good thing.
The Council continued their meeting in the afternoon, discussing the proposed budget caps for next year. We’ll find out more tomorrow but Max Mosley has admitted that the budget cap figure agreed is slightly more than the £30m he wanted, but still a reasonable amount.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
FIA – World Motor Sport Council Decision
At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 29 April 2009, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes admitted five charges of breaching article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to events at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix.
The following decision was taken:
“Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate.
“That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.”
The full reasons for this decision will be issued shortly.
Open All Hours
The Red Bull Racing garages as night falls in Bahrain on Friday. With limited testing, and two sets of back to back races, the mechanics have been working all the hours of a Grand Prix weekend, particularly if there are problems on a Friday. No doubt they will all be enjoying the brief respite in the action.
Credit: Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images
28-Apr-09: Whitmarsh Prepares for FIA Hearing
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Welcome to F1 Minute, it’s the 28th April 2009.
Martin Whitmarsh has spoken ahead of the FIA hearing tomorrow and said that the team now have a much better relationship with the governing body than it did under Ron Dennis. Whitmarsh adds it is clear from the history between McLaren and the FIA that things need to change going forward to be more positive and more constructive. Autosport are reporting that he might attend the hearing by himself, rather than take any legal advisors with him.
Elsewhere, Virgin boss Richard Branson says that he has offered the title sponsorship to Brawn but he isn’t the only one and the team are currently reviewing their options. He expects to make an announcement regarding Virgin’s future in F1 at the race in Barcelona.
Finally, F1.com reports that a film about Ayrton Senna’s life in Formula 1 will begin shooting next month. Made by Working Title Films, the Senna family have given full permission, and FOM will even provide footage.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow for another F1 Minute.
Keep Your Enemies Closer
Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel hug after the Bahrain Grand Prix before attending the podium ceremony. Button later said that he believes the Red Bull team have surpassed them in terms of pace. Brawn GP are hoping, though, that updates to be introduced in Barcelona will help them stay competitive.
Credit: Bridgestone Corporation