A day after FIA let Mclaren off the hook for showing “honesty” in lie-gate scandal, revised rules for 2010 season were announced. FIA has gone into a damage control mode after an outcry over stringent cost cutting norms last year. First and foremost, the budget cap has been increased to 40m £ from earlier limit 30m £.
This limit doesn’t include following costs:
- Marketing and hospitality
- Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes
- Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA
- Engine costs (for 2010 only)
- Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship
- Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship
“Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship??“…that rule is going to be the back door escapeway for all the teams who will be accused of overspending.
FIA: You have exceeded the cap with your latest wind-tunnel testing.
Team: Oh no…that was not for Aero….we were just checking if the stickers are firmly in their places. Got to keep the sponsors happy!
Thats how dumb it can get. For the big teams, it will not be a big deal to show random expenditures on non F1 related products and get away with it. FIA will obviously try to avoid such things by choosing best possible commissioners but ultimately, they are also humans. Its not easy to keep a watch on companies as big as Ferrari and BMW with huge R&D budgets. It will however be difficult for a team like Brawn GP, which has no existance outside F1.
Additionally, there will be 13 teams next season to spice things up a bit. FIA has agreed to provide support to all the new teams.
“Those teams accepting the cap will be able to run constantly adjustable wings, engines with no rev limit, more powerful KERS systems, and – in theory – four-wheel drive. They will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing.“
The best move by FIA in recent years. Within limts, teams will have full freedom to choose their priorities. This year we have seen 3 way competiotion: Double Decker Diffuser vs KERS vs Both and it is amazing to watch how your priorities affect you on different parts of a circuit. We saw Piquet defend his position from Trulli by cleverly using KERS to match Toyota’s superior aero. With new rules the competition could get more dimensions.
“Tyre blankets will be banned and the ban on other tyre-heating devices will be maintained”
Postponed rule from last year; will have a major impact on race start-ups and out laps after pit stops. Speaking of pitstops, look at the next rule:
“Refuelling 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)”
This will severely change the importace of pit stops. All teams can change tyres in less than 5sec. It was the refuelling strategy that made pit stops both interesting and influential. Though timing of pit stop will matter, it won’t play much part in deciding the outcome of race like it does now. A step backwards according to me. We do not want all teams running on same weight for the entire race! Reduces chaces of good overtaking. This overshadows the effect of all the technical freedom.
Overall, FIA has done a good job in creating good will. Perks for minions and freedom for the giants. Should bring them to a same level by next year.
May 3, 2009 at 9:28 pm |
Hi, interesting post. I have been pondering this topic,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your posts.
May 4, 2009 at 10:42 am |
You are most welcome for discussions as well..