Further decisions from the World Motor Sport Council

07/12/2007
NEWS STORY

In its decision of 13 September 2007, the WMSC instructed the FIA Technical Department to conduct an investigation of the preparatory work by McLaren on its 2008 car to determine whether that car incorporates any confidential Ferrari information. This investigation has been concluded and a detailed report submitted to the WMSC. The WMSC considers that McLaren, Ferrari and the other competitors in the FIA Formula One World Championship should be afforded the opportunity to make considered representations on the report at an extraordinary general meeting of the WMSC to be held on Thursday 14 February 2008 in Paris.

As part of the total 10-year freeze on engine development, only engines which have been homologated by the FIA and delivered no later than 31 March 2008* may be used at an Event during the 2008-2017 Championships. Any such engine must include all the parts described in the 2008 F1 Technical Regulations and be identical to one which has completed two race Events during the 2007 Championship season.

* Or at the first opportunity in the event that a competitor has no engine available which has completed two race Events in the 2008 Championship season.

A number of principles for cost reduction were agreed for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

The following aerodynamic testing restrictions will be applied from 2008:

Teams to use no more than one wind tunnel.

Test fluid to be air at atmospheric pressure.

Maximum test section wind speed 50m/sec.

Maximum model scale 60%.

No more than one model to be tested during a run.

Maximum usage to be equivalent to 15 runs per 8 hour day on 5 days per week for team F1 purposes. Tunnel may be contracted out at other times.

Aerodynamic testing may only take place in wind tunnels if at reduced scale or at FIA approved test tracks if full scale. Full size testing to be subject to the F1 testing agreement.

Full scale specific aerodynamic testing is to be reduced to 5 days/year.

Restrictions will be imposed to stop shift of resource from wind tunnel testing to CFD.

The number of people involved in CFD development will be limited to a number to be agreed.

CFD computer systems will be characterised in order to set hardware performance limits but growth will be allowed year-on-year to allow for hardware / software development.

Other restrictions will be placed on Rig Testing, Design and Manufacturing, Suspension and Brakes, Hydraulic Systems, Bodywork, Weight Distribution, Circuit Testing and the number of personnel at races.

Further details of these restrictions will be given to the teams at a meeting on 11 January 2008 and detailed regulations based on these principles will be put forward at the spring meeting of the WMSC.

The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), to be introduced in 2009, will continue to be an entirely open technology. As such, the use of any type of KERS storage/transmission technology will be permitted.

The WMSC has authorised the FIA to issue libel proceedings against English newspaper The Sunday Times, which ran an article claiming that the FIA was engaged in a witch-hunt against the McLaren-Mercedes team.