Engine makers given French GP deadline

Although all teams gave their verbal approval to what became known as the 'Indianapolis Agreement' last weekend, a bid to get everyone's signature on the paperwork ahead of today's meeting in Paris failed.

It is understood that some of the sport's independent teams are keen to get guarantees from manufacturers that agreeing to the new rules will help reduce the cost of customer power units before they sign up.

The failure to get unanimous support ahead of the F1 Commission Meeting could have left the FIA free to press ahead fully with their plans for full engine homologation in 2008.

However, with the FIA aware that a deal on future engines is close, positive discussions within the meeting resulted in the manufacturers being told that if they can get their unanimity by Magny-Cours then the FIA will be willing to listen to the proposal.

The French Grand Prix deadline is a welcome relief to the manufacturers, especially because the original deadline to make changes to the 2008 regulations was June 30.

The manufacturers are hoping to avoid the threat of a full engine freeze in Formula One from 2008. The Indianapolis Agreement proposes a four-year part homologation plan from the start of 2007.

Honda's Otmar Szafnauer, who has played a key role in framing the revised engine rules, said at Indianapolis last weekend that he was hopeful the FIA would accept the proposal if it was not signed until the French Grand Prix.

"All we would have to do is change the title from Indianapolis to Magny-Cours," he explained. "I would still be okay if everyone signed it."