The F1 Commission met on Thursday, with the most notable rule-change being a five-minute chop to the last section of ‘knockout’ qualifying.
The change, cutting the session from 20 to fifteen minutes, is to take effect at Magny Cours, according to Auto Motor Und Sport magazine.
Progress was also made in the ongoing row about Max Mosley’s engine ‘freeze’ for the future. Reportedly, the teams agreed that the 2008 rule will be accelerated to 2007, so that a year of futile engine development is not wasted.
Imposing the ‘Indianapolis Agreement’, however, looked certain to strike a brick wall after the carmakers failed to get smaller teams like MF1 and Red Bull to agree.
However, it seems that Max Mosley has now given the parties a new deadline in order to seek unanimity — midnight on the day of the French Grand Prix. The sweetener, for the reluctant small teams, is likely to be subsidised customer engine deals.
Also at the meeting, it was proposed that Spa-Francorchamps definitely return to the 18-race calendar of 2007, probably at the expense of Hockenheim. Fuji, meanwhile, looks likely to replace Suzuka as Japanese GP host.
[GMM]
- Qualifying changes as soon as New Hampshire?-DENIED
- Changes to the Top-35 qualifying rule analyzed
- France doesn’t plan on any Chase changes for 2008
- Chase format needs to remain unchanged
- No big changes expected in Chase format
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