With less
than two months before the start of the 2003 season, the FIA has introduced
rule changes aimed at reducing costs. In a recent meeting at London’s
Heathrow Airport, FIA president Max Mosley announced various changes
including the banning of the use of bidirectional telemetry and of the pit
radio.
Each team is allowed to use only two cars per race weekend in 2003. It is
also no longer permitted to make alterations on the cars between the final
qualifying and the race.
The teams are no longer allowed to employ electronic driving aids such as
traction control or fully automatic gearboxes. But these changes are only
the beginning of a series of measures that will span the next several years,
including uniform brakes and rear wings.
The initial reaction for the BMW
WilliamsF1 team came in the form of a press release from the team.
"Oxford & Munich, January
16. Following yesterday's meeting between the FIA
and team principals, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team is currently assessing the
proposals presented.
The majority of the proposals will be further clarified by a Technical
Working
Group (TWG) meeting tomorrow. It is therefore not possible to offer a full
response until this meeting has taken place.
In the interim, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team acknowledges the need in principle
for substantive measures to ensure the continued viability of Formula One.
The BMW WilliamsF1 Team awaits the outcome of the forthcoming TWG meeting
and the clarification that this will provide."
 For
BMW they welcomed the rule changes and what they are trying to achieve but
they also pointed out that there are several issues are to be clarified.
BMW Motorsport Director Dr Mario Theissen was quoted as saying on the BMW
Motorsport web site: “FIA has decided on far-reaching rule changes on
Wednesday to lower costs in Formula 1. The time at which the decisions were
taken, only a few weeks before the start of the season, makes it doubtful
whether all of the measures envisaged for 2003 can be implemented on time.
The spectators ought to profit from the decisions. Racing strategy is
getting more transparent and the races are getting more exciting. On the
other hand, BMW is in Formula 1 to demonstrate their technological
competence in this world-wide motor sport spectacle in all conceivable
facets. From this point of view, the new rules lead to certain restrictions.
Nonetheless, I still see enough space for BMW, in which we can show our
technical know-how in the complex world of Formula 1. And for us, these
decisions also mean technological challenges. Right now, we are thoroughly
examining the regulations. On Friday, the Technical Working Group of FIA is
meeting to successively go through the proposals in order to clarify all the
issues which are still unclear. After that, we are going to analyse and
implement the results.”
BMW Motorsport Director Gerhard Berger added: “I have learned to respect
FIA’s decisions. As so often, I have two different viewpoints on this
matter: the BMW Motorsport Director’s viewpoint and the former racing
driver’s.
It’s all about making races more exciting and to give the driver more
influence on his car and to cut the costs. The new measures are aiming at
this direction. Therefore, I have a positive view on the decisions.
On the other hand, BMW are also competing for the world constructors’
championship in Formula 1. BMW want to display their technological
competence compared to the competitors. The decisions restrict these
possibilities, but are still within an acceptable range. I think, however,
that some of the measures cannot be realised with such little time left. In
any case, now I’m even more anxious to see the start of the season in
Melbourne on March 9." |
