The FIA announced today that the World Motor Sport Council, following a fax vote, has approved the Formula One Commission’s proposed changes to the 2006 and 2007 Formula One Sporting Regulations. The changes for the 2006 regulations will come into effect this weekend at the French Grand Prix.

The final part of qualifying reduced from 20 minutes to 15 (hoping to eliminate the tedious fuel burning process) while the terminology is changing with each phase of qualifying now referred to as Q1, Q2 and Q3. In addition, there are minor timing changes to the procedure ahead of the Grand Prix start. Most significantly, changes to the 2007 Sporting Regulations will see the third cars eliminated from Friday practice.

As it stands, teams that did not finish in the top four in the constructors’ championship in the previous year can run a third car in Friday practice. This has now been outlawed for the 2007 season. In addition, only two specifications of tyre can be supplied to the field next season. The current rule allows two specifications per team.

With third cars eliminated from Friday practice, the theory is that the race drivers will have to undertake additional running. It remains to be seen if this will be the case without further changes to the regulations.

[GMM]