Manufacturers don't want change

The engine men were due to meet again over the Hockenheim weekend for further discussions on the subject, and gave their views in the FIA press conference on Friday.

"Generally, we support extending engine life because in our view it is the most efficient way to cut costs and at the same time to reduce power to a certain extent," said BMW's motorsport director Mario Theissen. "But you have to make sure that the timing is right. A reasonable lead-time for a new engine concept is 18 months - that is what Max Mosley said in a press conference a few weeks ago. And if you get shorter notice, costs might go up instead of down, because you have to trash development work you have already done and start from scratch with a new concept."

Honda's Otmar Szafnauer also has doubts about two-race engines for 2005: "We don't think it will have a big impact on performance and therefore won't enhance safety. And as for cost - which I don't think the FIA's efforts today are aimed at, they are just aimed at the safety aspect - we don't think we will save any money by having an engine that will last two races. Sure, we might have 18 less engines in a year but I think the cost-saving there may be taken up by additional development costs."

With Honda pointing out that their new agreement with BAR contains a break clause if F1 does not remain the pinnacle of motor sport in terms of technology, both Szafnauer and his opposite number at Toyota, Luca Marmorini, reiterated that they do not want to see too many limitations.

"Things like having minimum weight for engines, centres of gravity defined, bores, strokes and cylinder spacings defined - these are all things that we don't want," added Szafnauer.