19-Mar-10: FIA Allow Renault to Improve Engine Reliability

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Welcome to F1 Minute for the 19th March 2010.

Autosport is reporting today that the FIA have given Renault dispensation to make quite a few changes to their engine this season, improving reliability and costs. The FIA are keen to avoid equalising the engines in terms of performance, but the changes can be for those secondary reasons instead. Team boss Eric Boullier said: “I think out of the requests that were requested – some of them were quite tricky so the FIA was not positive, but I think most of them have been approved.

The FIA have also moved to close yet another diffuser loophole in the regulations, with at least four of the teams affected. They will have to make adjustments to their diffusers in time for the Australian GP, after the size of the starter motor holes was deemed too wide. They weren’t directly against the regulations but the rules have been clarified anyway. Autosport says it is likely to affect McLaren, Mercedes and maybe Renault and Force India.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow for another F1 Minute.