FIA, car makers to work on F1 shake-up

The car makers involved in the sport, as well as Ford and Audi, have all been issued preliminary documents outlining a big overhaul of the sport's regulations to make it more environmentally friendly and relevant to the road car industry.

Next month's edition of F1 Racing reveals that these rules are for a turbo-compounded 2.2-litre V6, to run on bio-fuel and produce around 770bhp.

Maximum revs will be limited to 10,000rpm, and engines would be required to last five Grands Prix. Traction control, four-wheel drive and a 13-second per lap power boost facility are also being considered.

Mosley has said it is vital that such big changes are agreed with the full support of the manufacturers. As autosport.com revealed last weekend, Mosley will begin preliminary discussions about the matter at next weekend's Monaco Grand Prix prior to more serious discussions taking place in June.

Mosley said: "We are in active discussions with the major manufacturers to ensure that in future, research and development relevant only to Formula One will be discouraged, whereas that which has relevance to road car development will be encouraged.

"We understand that such an approach has broad support from the competing manufacturers and we will work closely with them to ensure that, in particular, the new environmentally relevant technologies that many of them are developing are made our priority.

"Whilst aiming to achieve these goals we will ensure that the sporting spectacle of F1 remains the same or is even improved by the new developments."

Autosport.com has seen a summary of the document issued to the manufacturers in Spain last weekend - with the FIA outlining that there is a need to create a 'healthier commercial outlook for the participants by lowering their costs' and 'the need to react to public concern about the environment.'

Although the details of the power train overhaul are not explained in detail, the document makes it clear that other developments on the car will be 'severely constrained.'

Sources have suggested that this regulations could extend as far as there being a single supplier of chassis for F1.

The document said: "This strategy now needs to evolve. How far should the FIA go on each point? The main constraint will be to avoid damage to the emotional attraction of Formula One for its fan base.

"In particular the technical awe of Formula One and its sheer speed must be retained. Step one is to develop a framework for the regulations aimed at fixing the power-train.

"Such a framework is put forward, but at each stage guidance is sought from the manufacturers. A detailed proposal can be drawn up quickly once these points are decided upon.

"This paper focuses on the 2011 power-train regulations only, but lists implications for the chassis, bodywork and sporting rules. Today the power-train is the determining step and must be decided before the remaining regulations can be detailed. "