Renault Fear Intentional Retirements

Motor sport's ruling body this week closed a loophole in new regulations governing the use of engines in Formula One after BAR retired their cars towards the end of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The regulations say engines must last for two successive races with any unscheduled changes incurring a 10-place penalty on the starting grid. However, the penalty does not apply to cars that fail to finish the race.

BAR retired their cars towards the end of the Australian Grand Prix to enable drivers Jenson Button and Takuma Sato to have new engines for Malaysia without penalty.

The FIA said they will now make a distinction between failing to finish and choosing not to finish, something Chevrier fears will be hard to police.

"How will the FIA decide whether an engine broke for real or if it was (intentionally) overrevved by the driver, maybe in a spin? There will be the need to be convincing with the FIA men when an engine will expire," Chevrier told reporters.

"And it will end up to be down to rules interpretation. We think that whoever breaks the engine intentionally before the end (of the race), because he is out of the points, will have to start ten places back in the next race."