F1 TEAMS AGREE TO DRASTIC CHANGES.(NEWS)

On Dec. 12, the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved initiatives to reduce the operating costs of Formula One teams immediately. The WMSC also approved regulations that preclude the previously projected and highly controversial switch to a standard-spec engine in 2010.

Starting in 2009, engine life will be extended via an 18,000-rpm (instead of 19,000) limit and a ban on tuning, except to fuel injectors and air trumpets. As already planned, engines must last for three races. Each team may use a maximum of 20 engines during the year (eight for each driver for race weekends and four for testing). Consequently, the FIA said, independent teams' engine costs will be approximately 50 percent of 2008 expenses. Engines will come from F1 manufacturers or an independent supplier. The same engines will be used in 2011-12.

In addition, team factories must close for six weeks. Race staff will be reduced by sharing information on tires and fuel, and no track testing will be allowed during the season. Aerodynamic research will be limited to models of less than 60 percent scale and airspeeds of less than 50 meters per second.

F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone's idea for medals to replace championship points was shelved pending market research, as were changes to the format of race weekends.

Even bigger changes will come in 2010, "11 and "12, when the five factory teams will supply engines to independents for less than c5 million per season. Alter-natively, privateers may source engines at similar cost from a company such as Cosworth, which won the FIA tender to supply the now-rejected reference engine. Teams agreed to use the same transmission, if the idea's practicality is confirmed.