Analysis: Bosses Tweak F1 Rules, Uphold New Format

Formula One teams fine-tuned the sport's new rules but left controversial measures unchanged after assessing the season's opening action-packed races.

International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley, who met the 10 team bosses, told a news conference at the San Marino Grand Prix that the show would remain the same for the rest of 2003.

"There is now complete agreement from all the competing teams to continue with the procedures that we have adopted at the beginning of this season and to continue with the rules adopted at the end of last season," said Mosley.

He said any changes would be minor.

One was to allow teams to use a spare car in practice sessions, while upholding the new rule that whatever was used in qualifying on Saturday had to be raced on Sunday - unless a driver started from the pitlane.

"We also agreed that if there's an engine change, from now on the relevant car will start from the back of the grid," said Mosley. "But these are just minor details, tidying up."

The new rules ban teams from working on their cars or refuelling them between Saturday's qualifying and Sunday's start, with cars held overnight in 'parc ferme'. Mosley said most teams disliked the arrangement and the FIA fully understood their reasoning.

"The way that's been left is that the present procedures will continue unless and until the teams can come up with a proposal to solve the problem in a better way.

"The problem is to ensure that the car that starts the race is identical to the car that qualified and vice versa, both as to the amount of fuel in it and as to the specification of the set up of the car."

Three Winners

Mosley hoped the racing would remain as unpredictable and as thrilling. Formula One has had three different winners so far in 2003, including first victories for McLaren's young Finn Kimi Raikkonen and Jordan's Italian Giancarlo Fisichella.

Ferrari's five times World Champion Michael Schumacher has yet to appear on the podium after not once finishing off it last year on his way to 11 wins.

Williams and McLaren have both threatened to take the FIA to arbitration over the manner in which the rule changes were introduced but Mosley suggested that action was likely to be dropped if agreement was reached on measures planned for future seasons.

They include a ban on so-called 'driver aids', such as traction control, from the start of 2004.

"The teams want to talk about the exact implementation of the single engine rule, they would like to keep car to pit telemetry, most of them are quite keen to hang on to traction control and launch control," added Mosley.

"We are equally keen not to do that. The main issue is one of cheating and enforcement. We have agreed to have a major meeting about that in the very near future to try to reach agreement."

Mosley rammed through the rule changes last October to cut costs and liven up the show after a year of Ferrari domination had armchair fans increasingly reaching for the off switch on Sundays.

Television viewing figures for the first three races, particularly in Britain, have shown a significant rise as new faces come to the fore and starting grids are mixed up.