| After the
announcement of various rule changes by the FIA the Formula One technical
working group has held meetings to discuss the changes and their
implementation. The FIA has released a press statement which changes several
of the rule changes announced last week.
Below is the release in full: -
Since its meeting with the Formula One team principals on 15 January, the
FIA has held two meetings with the teams’ technical directors. Today, at the
second of these meetings, independent electronics experts and the teams’ own
electronics specialists were present. After discussion of the financial and
other effects of the measures announced on 15 January, the FIA informed the
teams it intended to implement these measures as follows:
a. Pit to car telemetry - eliminated with immediate effect.
b. Car to pit telemetry -
eliminated from 2004 and a standard data logger introduced at the same time
(immediate implementation would not save money because the limiting factor
is the data acquisition system. This cannot be eliminated from a car in the
short term).
c. Radio communication between team and driver to be allowed provided (i)
the system is stand-alone and cannot transmit other data and (ii) the
communications are open and accessible to the FIA and broadcasters. The
possibility of a standard system accessible to the public at a Grand Prix is
being explored.
d. A third car will only be used if a race car is damaged beyond repair. If
a race car fails just before the start, any spare car will start from the
pit lane, as will a spare car used following a race stoppage in the first
two laps.
e. Cars will be held under parc fermé conditions between qualifying and the
race, but can be kept in a team’s garage under supervision. Any work other
than a very restricted list will require special authorisation.
f. Traction control and automatic gearboxes will no longer be allowed from
half way through the season - ie from the 2003 British Grand Prix.
g. Launch control will end at the same time provided the teams can all
operate their current clutches manually.
h. Following today’s meeting the FIA is satisfied that the absence of
traction control, launch control and fully automatic gearboxes can be proved
using a combination of new technology and extra (FIA) sensors. Software
inspection remains available to the FIA as a back-up if needed. It will
therefore not be necessary to introduce a standard ECU in 2004.
Other items remain as in the press release of 15 January 2003.
Paris, January 21st, 2003 |
