Speaking to the media in Istanbul on Sunday morning, FIA President Jean Todt confirmed that the 2013 Formula One engine regulations would not be changing, despite rumours to the contrary.

"Nothing has changed," Todt said. "From 2013 it has been announced that it will be a new engine rule. It is nothing to do with the commercial rights holder."

Rumours of a possible change to the 2013 engine specification began to circulate when Bernie Ecclestone repeatedly complained that the proposed engine would detract from the F1 show.

Speaking to AP in March, Ecclestone said "I'm anti, anti, anti, anti moving into this small turbo-four cylinder formula. We don't need it and if it's so important it's the sort of thing that should be in saloon car racing. The rest of it is basically PR - it's nothing in the world to do with Formula 1. These changes are going to be terribly costly to the sport. I'm sure the promoters will lose a big audience and I'm quite sure we'll lose TV."

Ferrari is another vocal opponent of the switch; the team arguing that the smaller engines will have no relevance to their road car division.

And Ferrari is not alone in being wary. While the green motives behind the switch have been widely welcomed by the teams, there is growing concern about the increased costs necessary to design and develop new engines. It is now being asked whether the financial and environmental impact of a dramatic overhaul to the engine spec will negate the environmental benefit.

While Formula One engines are currently 2.4-litre V8s rev-limited to 18,000rpm, in 2013 the paddock will see a wholesale move to 1.6 litre 4-cylinder engines rev-limited to 12,000rpm and boosted with energy recovery devices. The decision to make the switch came via a unanimous vote at the World Motor Sport Council, of which Bernie Ecclestone is a member.

Todt explained: "It was unanimously voted by the WMSC; you have 26 members and among the members you have two representatives of the F1 world - one of which is the oldest team representative, which is Ferrari, and the other one which is the representative of the commercial rights, which is Bernie Ecclestone. And I repeat that it was unanimously agreed. So in 2013 we will have the introduction of the new engine."

Although Todt is unwilling to budge on the engine specifications, he is still open to input, and the FIA will host a meeting to discuss the new regulations at the Barcelona Grand Prix later this month.

"Because I am happy to listen to comments, in two weeks' time, on Saturday May 21, I have asked our people to make a meeting in Barcelona for all the people involved with engine regulations," said Todt. "Most probably I will make my best to attend this meeting to hear the point of advancement of the development of the engine."

The combined forces of Bernie Ecclestone and Ferrari are not enough to bring about a change to the 2013 specs, but Todt is not completely inflexible about alterations to the rules and acknowledges that circumstances can change.

"We are in a world where things can change, you know. It is not only our little world of F1. You have other things happening in the world. Dramatic things could happen and then we would have to reconsider something. But at the moment there is no reason of reconsidering because it has been unanimously agreed, and after lengthy discussions and meeting with people who are involved in this business."