FIA: No Backing Down in New Plan

The governing body of Formula One, the FIA, have insisted they have not been forced to back down on radical new rules introduced last week, despite significant changes to their original proposals.

The FIA had said they were taking a "zero tolerance" approach to arrest the fall in the sport's viewing figures and the rising costs for competing teams but technical chiefs met today and threw out some significant changes.

Major resistance from some of the top teams appears to have forced the FIA to take a more lenient line in their planned rulings, including dropping a ban on radio communication between car and driver and scrapping plans to prevent teams taking a third car to races.

However, the ban on traction control and automatic gearboxes - which will make driver talent more important - will still be introduced this year and the FIA insist the changes to their proposals have only been accepted because of safety or cost-cutting reasons.

"We said we were open to discussion when we introduced the proposals and that there could be change if teams could prove reason why they were not acceptable," said an FIA spokesman. "This is a refinement of the proposals further to discussion with the technical directors."

The spokesman explained that the radio transmission would be allowed because of concerns for safety if it was banned, and added that it would be used to improve the television coverage for the sport.

"We were very happy to allow them if they are standalone systems and do not transmit data," said the spokesman. "It also means it adds to the show, because we will offer access to broadcasters and spectators at the track."