Small Teams Want 2005 Rule Changes Agreed

Formula One's smaller teams on Friday called for new rules for the 2005 season to be urgently agreed because they fear falling even further behind.

Formula One's Technical Working Group is due to meet at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday to attempt to move towards agreeing regulations for next season.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has promised to impose a package of changes to make Formula One safer by slowing cars down, including changes to chassis, engines and tyres.

The teams have until September 6 to come up with alternative proposals to present to the FIA, with at least eight needing to be in agreement.

But the failure to reach concrete agreements has left the smaller teams on the grid unable to begin the design of their cars for 2005, and they now fear the gap to the leading outfits will increase.

"In short, not happy," was Minardi owner Paul Stoddart's verdict on the situation. "We are not preparing and getting ready to build a new car and there is a simple fact for that - we cannot afford to make a wrong choice.

"Here we are at the Hungaroring, traditionally a watershed race where people announce drivers, engines and are well advanced on their design for the following year and we haven't got a clue what the regulations are.

"We are nowhere near agreeing on any of this."

The FIA's proposals included raising the front wing, moving the rear wing element forward and limiting the height of the diffuser on the aerodynamics side to slow cars through fast corners.

Two Sets

Tyres will be limited to two sets per driver per weekend, with one set for Friday and Saturday practice and the other for qualifying and the race - meaning a tyre will have to last for at least 350km rather than 80 at present.

Under the FIA's planned rules, a 2.4 litre V8 engine would replace the current three litre V10 units and would be required to last two races. Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn, who has scrapped initial work on the World Champions' 2005 car, said agreement was close to being reached on aerodynamics and tyres.

"Everyone wants to get on with their cars," said Brawn.

Jaguar's team principal Tony Purnell is convinced any agreements would only benefit the big teams, who have the resources to work around the clock to build cars to the new specifications.

"To be at this time of the year when you are not quite sure what the rules are to build the cars, I think very heavily favours the well-financed teams," he said. "In fact, the rules that have already been proposed have already caused us a bit of a problem where we have had to change next year's chassis design. We wanted to be ahead of the game."

Eddie Jordan had a simple message for his counterparts to sort out the problems quickly.

"It is just preposterous to think that a set of rules and regulations for next year's championship are not clear and defined at this moment in time," Jordan said.