German Car Zone

As proposed the World Motor Sport Council today confirmed a number of changes for the 2010 Formula One championship, the headline being the option to run under a cost cap of £40m. The FIA body also however confirmed that re-fuelling and tyre warmers will not be permitted next year.

"Re-fuelling during a race will be forbidden in order to save the costs of transporting refuelling equipment and increase the incentive for engine builders to improve fuel economy (to save weight)," a statement read.

"Tyre blankets will be banned and that the ban on other tyre-heating devices will be maintained."

With the banning on re-fuelling, the final round of qualifying will be a ‘proper’ pole position shoot-out as competitors run with a light fuel load and not with a race level on board.
In addition – assuming a 26 car field - the slowest eight drivers will be eliminated from the first and second round of qualifying rather than the five as now.

In addition, current gearbox and engine change penalties will not apply to the 'cost regulated teams'.

Re-fuelling was re-introduced to the sport in 1994 after being originally banned a decade earlier.

This stuff is so stupid that it's not even funny. Haven't they raped the sports enough? Now they're coming back to rape it again?

Sorry for my ignorance..but were the races shorter back then? Did they have bigger fuel tanks? I somehow doubt the engines were 'more' fuel efficient..

Bigger tanks, as the cars are physically bigger as well.

Part of the appeal of F1 races are tactics and strategy. With ban on re-fueling, the sports will be dumb down, and less interesting to watch. There will be less variables in the race and the teams lost the liberty to try different tactics to compensate for their car's lack of performance. With everyone on the same fuel load, there are even less chances of overtaking.

I think it's a positive thing. F1 was entertaining in the 80s. It rewards drivers who can manage their engines, or else risk running out of petrol the last lap.

But, the brightside is, overtaking will have to be done on the track.

The FIA made massive changes for this season, and IMO, it's one of the best changes, and turning out to be one of the best seasons ever. This fuel ban could be positive as well.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but :

Another technical advantage to be enjoyed by any 'cost regulated team' next year will be the doubling of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems' power output – assuming any team opts to take that route.

Close followers of the championship were spending Thursday afternoon poring over the newly published FIA 2010 regulations, featuring basically unchanged technical rules for teams opting not to sign up to the optional budget restraints.

Those willing to be limited to £40 million (€45m) will however benefit from free-revving engines, a relaxation of testing restrictions and moveable wings. It also emerged that they will be allowed to use KERS outputting 120 kilowatts, while the 'free-spending' teams are limited to just 60kw.

Realistically, it remains to be seen how any potential new entry or independent team could fund its own KERS programme given the cost restraints.



Like the removal of rev-limits on the V8 powerplants, it is likely that the major manufacturers will be targeted to develop and adapt the technology for the customer teams, something that will undoubtedly be up for discussion within the FOTA ranks.

Williams and McLaren on Thursday responded to the FIA's confirmation of the £40m voluntary budget cap essentially saying that the Formula One Teams' Association will discuss the rules, while Ferrari did not want to comment.

Yeah, just like the tire ban in 2005. Think back to Indy.

That and the Kimi's Accident in the McLaren.

Tyre and fuel are 2 totally different things. Banning refuelling is actually safer during pitstops. Thinks back to the early 90s and 80s how awesome and unpredictable F1 was.

I assume your talking about the European GP bro? That was due to the flat spot Kimi had when he was overtaking or lapping JV, IIRC. Mclaren hadthe option to bring him in for a tyre change, but they opted not to.

I do respect Kimi for taking a big risk tho, even tho it didn't pay off, Kimi was awesome to watch in 2005 overall.