FIA reaches Ferrari "settlement" after 2019 F1 engine investigation

Ferrari was at the centre of intrigue last year amid suspicions it had found a way of getting around fuel-flow sensor restrictions to provide a power boost.

A number of teams wrote to the FIA to seek clarification about design aspects of its power unit, though Ferrari was never found to be in breach of the regulations, and no rival formally protested the outfit.

In a statement issued by the FIA on Friday, the governing body said it had reached an agreement with Ferrari.

"The FIA announces that, after thorough technical investigations, it has concluded its analysis of the operation of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 power unit and reached a settlement with the team," said the statement.

"The specifics of the agreement will remain between the parties.

"The FIA and Scuderia Ferrari have agreed to a number of technical commitments that will improve the monitoring of all Formula 1 power units for forthcoming championship seasons as well as assist the FIA in other regulatory duties in Formula 1 and in its research activities on carbon emissions and sustainable fuels."

The wording of the statement is intriguing, as the FIA does not state that it found the power unit to have complied fully with the regulations.

The existence of a private settlement, and an agreement to help monitoring of power units going forward, suggests there may have been a trade off in terms of not taking the issue further.

Last year, a number of technical directives were issued to clarify what teams were and were not allowed to do with their sensors.

The issuing of these coincided with a period in the championship when Ferrari's straightline speed advantage was reduced.

In a bid to prevent teams from circumventing the rules, the FIA has introduced a second fuel-flow sensor for 2020.