Newsgroup: it.sport.formula1.moderato
Titolo: [ENG] The Fia'S Press Statement

Source: 
grandprix.com
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns07603.html
The FIA has announced a dramatic series of changes to the F1 rules which
will force F1 teams to cut costs. The federation issued the following
explanation of the changes:
Last October the teams currently competing in the FIA Formula One World
Championship rejected all the FIA's suggestions to reduce costs.
Subsequently, at their meeting on 4 December, they failed themselves to
agree any significant cost-cutting proposals for 2003 or 2004. Urgent
action is needed because costs continue to rise while income is falling.
THE PROBLEM
Two Formula One teams have disappeared in the past twelve months. Now
that only ten teams are left, those remaining are obliged by the Concorde
Agreement to finance and run two extra cars for each additional team
which fails to attend an Event. By no means all of the teams would be
able to do this. There is an obvious danger that unless something is
done, the FIA Formula One World Championship will start to collapse
during the next twelve months into a spiral of law suits and
recrimination.
THE FIA'S ROLE
As the independent regulator, the FIA would not normally become involved
in the commercial difficulties of Formula One teams. But the teams and
others involved in the Championship have been unable to find a solution.
Responsibility therefore devolves upon the governing body. The FIA must
act, because serious problems with the Formula One World Championship
would affect motor sport at all levels throughout the world.
CHANGING THE RULES
But the FIA is constrained by the Concorde Agreement. It cannot change
any rule for 2003 without the unanimous agreement of the teams. For 2004
it can change sporting rules at any time before 31 October 2003 (subject
to an 18:8 majority in the Formula One Commission), but cannot change
technical rules without unanimous agreement. For 2005 it can again change
sporting rules, this time until 31 October 2004. But technical (although
not engine or drive train) regulations can be changed only for 2005 (with
the same 18:8 majority plus an 80% majority in the Technical Working
Group) and then only if this is done before 1 January 2004.
ENFORCING THE RULES
It is, however, open to the FIA to enforce the existing rules more
rigorously. Having regard to the current difficulties facing its Formula
One World Championship, the FIA intends to do so on a zero-tolerance
basis wherever this will result in significant cost savings without
diminishing the sporting contest. Indeed some of what follows may improve
the racing by increasing the element of unpredictability. If the teams
produce convincing evidence that immediate strict enforcement will add to
costs in a particular area because of the proximity of the season, the
FIA will grant a brief temporary derogation, but only where genuine need
is shown.
WASTED MONEY
Much of the money spent in the FIA Formula One World Championship is
wasted in the sense that it adds nothing to the enjoyment of the public.
Yet it is the public who ultimately pay the bills. Without a world-wide
television and media audience, neither team sponsors nor car
manufacturers would contribute to the costs of the Championship. The
interests of their shareholders require that they only invest in the hope
of greater profits. These profits come from the public.
SOME EXAMPLES
But vast sums are being spent on things which do not interest the public.
Whether an engine runs to 12,000, 16,000, or 20,000 rpm means nothing to
the television audience. Neither do they know, or care, who makes the
electronic control unit or the rear wishbone. The army of technicians
using sophisticated and very expensive telemetry to follow every quirk of
the car on computer screens, are hidden at the back of the pits. They are
concealed from a public who neither know nor care that they are there.
RACING SPOILT BY MONEY
And this expenditure is not just wasted. Still worse from a spectator's
point of view, much of it actually detracts from the sporting contest.
This is because the purpose of much of the expenditure is to increase the
probability that at the end of qualifying, the fastest cars will be at
the front of the grid and will run reliably throughout the race.
Everything being equal, if the fastest car starts the race at the front,
it will not be caught, still less overtaken by the car behind. Add
metronome-like reliability and faultless handling and you have all the
ingredients for a thoroughly boring race.
CONTROLLING THE CAR MANUFACTURERS
The FIA cannot prevent the major car manufacturers spending very large
sums on developing engines for the Formula One World Championship. It
can, however, regulate the number of engines and other components each
team can consume at races. In this way the cost of going racing, as
opposed to development, can be minimised. The tighter the restrictions at
the races, the lower the cost of going racing. The racing budget is then
a smaller percentage of a manufacturer's total expenditure, making it
easier to support an additional team.
THE SOLUTION
By rigorously applying existing rules, the FIA intends to save the teams
and manufacturers a great deal of money. A probable side effect will be
to make the racing itself less predictable and thus more interesting. By
applying the rules firmly but equitably, the FIA will ensure that no team
suffers an unfair disadvantage. The best driver and the best car
constructor will still win their respective championships.
The rules in question and the effects of enforcing them are set out
below. References are to the 2003 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations
unless otherwise stated. For convenience, the relevant regulations are
reproduced at the end of this note.
2003
1. Under Article 61, there will be a complete ban on:
(i) telemetry from car to pit;
(ii) telemetry from pit to car;
(iii) radio communication between driver and pit.
2. Under Article 70, only two cars will be scrutineered per team (subject
to the teams' other obligations under the Concorde Agreement, including
but not limited to Clause 5.3.1).
3. Under Article 84e), spare cars will not be scrutineered (save in
exceptional circumstances as authorised by the stewards) and will
therefore not be used.
4. Under Article 71a), each car will be required to go into parc ferm?
immediately after making its second qualifying run. All cars will be
released simultaneously from parc ferm? shortly before the start of the
race, when all checks on all cars will have been completed.
5. Under Article 61, severe constraints will be placed upon electronic
(as opposed to driver) control of throttles, clutches, differentials and
engine actuators. This will mean that traction control, launch control
and fully automatic gear changing systems can no longer be used. Each
team must be able to demonstrate compliance without software inspection
(Article 2.6, FIA Formula One Technical Regulations as amended for 2003
on proposal of the teams). If it can be shown that immediate full
compliance would, on balance, add to teams' costs because the start of
the season is now so close, the FIA is prepared to grant a derogation for
all or part of the 2003 season. However, from 2004 at the latest, the FIA
will insist on full compliance with both Article 61 and the
above-mentioned Article 2.6 and rely solely on physical inspection. In
the absence of a satisfactory alternative proposal by the teams, the FIA
believes that this will necessitate the use of standard electronic
control units for both engine and drive train.
6. By way of clarification, the FIA confirms that teams which wish to do
so can share components. The teams are invited to agree unanimously to
delete the provision in Schedule III to the Concorde Agreement which
prevents a constructor using a component (other than an engine or a
gearbox) designed or manufactured by another constructor. In default of
such unanimous agreement, the FIA confirms that provided a component is
manufactured and designed by a separate company or other third party,
there is nothing to prevent two different constructors using the same
component(s) on their respective cars.
7. The FIA has confirmed that the Friday morning session will be a
private test organised by the FIA together with the race promoter and is
not part of the Event. Participating teams will be free to do as they
wish, provided all safety precautions are observed and other
participating teams are not needlessly obstructed.
(NB: the measures outlined above will reduce air freight costs in 2003
because fewer cars, fewer parts and less equipment will need to be
transported. Such costs will drop further in 2004, 2005 and 2006 with the
need to move fewer spare engines and major components. The need for ever
fewer personnel will also save on air tickets and hotel rooms.)
2004
The FIA Formula One Sporting and Technical Regulations will be applied in
2004 in the same way as in 2003, subject to any changes in the light of
experience.
8. For the avoidance of doubt, the 2004 single-engine rule will not apply
to the Friday morning test session.
9. Standard electronic control units will be introduced (see 5 above)
unless the teams propose an alternative and equally satisfactory method
of proving the absence of driver aids, including traction control, launch
control and fully automatic gearboxes by straightforward, physical
inspection of components.
In addition, and subject to the necessary Formula One Commission vote no
later than 31 October 2003, the following changes will be made to the FIA
Formula One Sporting Regulations for 2004.
10. The FIA will invite the major manufacturers currently supplying
engines to teams competing in the Championship to ensure collectively
that all teams have competitive engines at a readily affordable cost. In
default of satisfactory and agreed arrangements, the FIA reserves the
right to introduce a change to the Sporting Regulations to achieve this
result. (NB: the savings to an engine supplier by reason of the
single-engine rule for 2004 will normally exceed the costs of supplying a
second team. This is because development costs will have been met in
supplying the first team while, as a result of the new rule, the total
number of engines supplied to the first and second teams together in 2004
can be expected to be less than the number supplied to the first team
alone in 2003.)
11. After consultation with the teams, the FIA will prepare a list of
major components which, like the engine, may not be changed more than
once during a race weekend from 2004 onwards.
12. A standard FIA rear wing and sideplates will be fitted to all cars.
Such a wing would provide "Monza" levels of downforce while generating
enough drag to give approximately "Brazil" levels of top speed. It will
not only save money, but also reduce speed in the fastest corners. This
will significantly improve safety.
13. Standard brakes. The FIA will invite tenders to supply a single
standard braking system for all cars participating in the FIA Formula One
World Championship. The winner of the tender will supply the same braking
system to all teams. This will be the only system allowed in the
Championship. Any financial or other benefits of the tender will go to
the teams.
2005
Subject to the necessary Formula One Commission vote no later than 31
October 2004, the following changes will be made to the FIA Formula One
Sporting Regulations for 2005.
14. The single engine rule will be extended from one to two Events - ie
an engine must last for two consecutive Events in the same year before
being changed. This will result in a further substantial reduction of
teams' and engine suppliers' costs. It will also help to keep power
outputs within reasonable limits.
15. A further extension in minimum life for certain major components
after consultation with the teams.
16. In the light of experience, during 2004 it may be necessary to revise
the penalties to be applied in the event of a team being forced to change
an engine or a major component before this becomes permissible under the
relevant rule. The penalties must be sufficient to deter systematic
changes, but not so severe as to interfere excessively with a team's
competitive position or to demotivate team or driver.2006
Subject to the necessary Formula One Commission vote no later than 31
October 2005, the following change will be made to the FIA Formula One
Sporting Regulations for 2006.
17. The single engine rule will be extended from two races to six races.
This will have a huge impact on the cost of supplying a team with
engines, but no effect on the sporting contest. It may also avoid the
need to change the engine regulations for 2008 in order to limit power
for safety reasons. Moreover, it will enable an engine supplier to supply
a third or even a fourth team at no greater cost than the 2004/5
programme (see 10 and 14 above), thus avoiding a crisis if the number of
major manufacturers (engine suppliers) decreases. Once again, research
and development costs are the same while race costs are a straightforward
function of engine life - the longer the life of an engine, the lower the
cost of supplying a team with engines for a season's racing. (NB: the
claim that it costs more to develop an engine to give maximum power for,
say, 5000 km than for 500 km is difficult to justify. The only difference
is extra time on the dyno, which represents a negligible proportion of
the total cost of developing an engine. Extra track testing time can be
discounted, as this will also be used for a team's general chassis test
programme. There is no significant difference between research into the
ability of a component to resist maximum and very high stress for a short
period or maximum but slightly less stress for a longer period.)
FURTHER MEASURES
The above are measures which the FIA can implement by enforcing existing
rules or with a majority vote in the Formula One Commission. However,
there is one additional measure which could further substantially reduce
costs but which may require unanimous agreement, at least if it is to be
introduced within a reasonable time frame.
18. Restrictions on materials. The use of exotic materials is a
significant and increasing cost for competitors in the Championship.
Limiting materials according to physical characteristics has proved
complex and difficult to enforce. It can also lead to increased costs -
the aluminium-beryllium experience has shown that more money may be spent
seeking materials on the limit of permitted physical characteristics than
can be saved by eliminating a particular material or family of materials.
However, a list of permitted materials, all others being prohibited,
might work. Checks might rely on chemical analysis, spectroscopy or
similar methods. To be discussed with team and industry experts.
ENGINE SUPPLY
Finally the requirement to supply engines to other teams (point 10 above)
may become problematic if the number of car manufacturers involved in the
FIA Formula One World Championship decreases significantly. In the first
instance we believe we will have overcome this problem by increasing the
life requirement of the engines - the greater the number of races between
engine changes, the less onerous a requirement to supply more than one
team. However, at a certain point, even with six-race engines, this could
place an excessive burden on the remaining engine suppliers. We would
then have to enter into discussions with those concerned in order to find
a solution. In the most extreme case, however, a single-source engine
supply might be the answer.
Copyright 1988-2003, Inside F1, Inc.
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 the television audience. 
Oltre che per il relativo (dis)interesse del publico, è un problema
importante ridurre la potenza soprattutto in virtù della sicurezza. I
900CV di oggi sono troppi. Limitare il numero dei motori spingerebbe a
ridurre i giri motore e quindi le potenze ma non si prevedono riduzioni
drastiche come sarebbe opportuno. Bisognerebbe riportare la F1 a 500-700
CV. Perchè non fare come in F3 dove si limita l'immissione di aria nel
motore? 
Un altro problema da risolvere urgentemente è quello della zavorra.  
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 drastiche come sarebbe opportuno. Bisognerebbe riportare la F1 a 500-700
Però c'è il vantaggio di imporre la durata come principale parametro da
raggiungere, al posto della potenza massima. Insomma, i costi di sviluppo
andrebbero per la maggior parte in una direzione diversa da quella che si
segue oggi.
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