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How race promoters try to shape F1's rules

Race promoters occupy almost a third of the seats on the Formula 1 Commission, prompting Dieter Rencken to analyse whether these businessmen now wield too much power over the sport of grand prix racing

The row over grand prix racing's new 'eco' engine regulations rumbles on, with the latest allegation being that the sound will not be 'Formula 1' enough - a criticism some fans have had of powerplants since the FIA banned open engine - architecture back in 1999. This time period coincides almost exactly with the acquisition of the sport's commercial rights by entities controlled by Bernie Ecclestone.

At the time, the reason for the banning of any engine that wasn't of 10 cylinders in a V configuration was simply to prevent Toyota - which had yet to make its announced entry into F1 - from developing horses for courses; more specifically a V12 for tracks like Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, where 'screamers' are the units to have, and a V8 for circuits like Monaco and the Hungaroring, which demand torque over outright power.

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