Jean Todt elected new FIA President

Jean Todt has succeeded Max Mosley as President of Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, after comfortably winning a vote of the FIA General Assembly in Paris. Max Mosley had held the role since 1993.

Frenchman Todt has been involved in motorsport since 1966 and is arguably best known as the Ferrari team principal who guided Michael Schumacher to five world championships. He received 135 votes to former world rally champion Vatanen’s 49, with 12 abstentions or invalid votes, and will now serve a four-year term.

He joined Ferrari in 1993 as general manager of its racing division and by 2001 was overseeing all sporting activities for the Ferrari-Maserati Group. In 2006 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari SpA. During Todt’s time with Ferrari, the team won a total 98 Grands Prix and 13 world titles.

From 1993 to 2009, he acted as the Ferrari’s representative to the FIA World Council. In his final year with Ferrari, Todt worked as special advisor to the Ferrari board chairman before retiring from the company in March 2009.


He has since continued his work in many capacities with the FIA and FIA Foundation. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the FIA Foundation and President of the eSafetyAware! campaign, which aims to increase awareness and uptake of life-saving electronic safety technologies in vehicles. With his partner Michelle Yeoh, Todt travels the world promoting the Make Roads Safe Campaign and the Call for a Decade of Action for Road Safety.

Michael Schumacher won't come back!

Michael Schumacher has revealed he won't return to Formula One racing at the European Grand Prix later this month. Schumacher had planned to replace the injured Felipe Massa for Ferrari at the Valencia race, but has been forced to cancel his comeback due to pain in his neck, which was caused by a motorcycle accident earlier this year.

BMW announce F1 withdrawal

BMW will end their involvement in Formula One racing at the end of the current season, as to restructure its motorsport activities.

BMW became Formula One entrants in 2006 after taking over the Swiss Sauber team. The company said the decision to withdraw stems from a desire to dedicate more resources to developing new, sustainable road car technologies.

BMW’s original Formula One involvement began in the 1980s as an engine supplier. With Brabham from 1982 to ’85, the company clinched eight Formula One victories and one world title, courtesy of Nelson Piquet in 1983. Following a final win with Benetton in 1986, BMW were absent from F1 competition until 2000 when they began supplying engines to Williams, taking 10 victories over the following five years.

In 2006 the company took over the Sauber team and enjoyed a positive first season as a fully-fledged works entry, finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship, with two podium finishes. The team went from strength to strength in 2007, occupying the ‘best of the rest’ slot behind Ferrari and McLaren. Scoring in all 17 races, BMW Sauber eventually finished second in the standings, behind Ferrari.

Last year, the team became championship contenders, with driver Robert Kubica clinching the team’s first pole position in Bahrain and then a maiden win at the Canadian Grand Prix. However, they have found they going a lot tougher this season and have scored just eight points to date.

Ferrari planning to substitute Michael Schumacher for Felipe Massa

Ferrari announced on that they plan to draft in Michael Schumacher to replace the injured Felipe Massa at forthcoming Grands Prix, until Massa is able to race again.

The seven-times world champion, who retired from Formula One racing at the end of 2006, will undergo a special training programme over the next few days to confirm he is fit enough to compete in next month’s European Grand Prix.

Schumacher has not driven Ferrari’s current F60 in anger and last tested for the Italian team, with whom he won five world titles, back in April 2008.

Massa crashed in Hungarian Grand Prix

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa will not race in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix following his high-speed qualifying crash at the Hungaroring, the team have confirmed. Massa was airlifted to AEK Hospital in Budapest, where he is in a stable condition.

Felipe was conscious at the arrival at the hospital. He had suffered a cut on his forehead, concussion and a bone lesion of the skull. Massa underwent surgery to treat these conditions, the outcome of which was positive. He will now remain under observation in intensive care.

The Brazilian speared off the track and into the tyre wall at Turn 4 late in the Q2 session after a rear damper spring that had come loose from the Brawn car of Rubens Barrichello struck his helmet.

Medics were quickly in attendance and the start of Q3 was delayed as they extricated him. After initial examinations at the medical centre, Massa, eighth fastest in Q2, was transferred to hospital for further treatment.

Hamilton stripped his third place in the Australian GP

The FIA have revealed details of the new evidence that prompted stewards to strip McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton of this third place in the Australian Grand Prix and hand the place back to Toyota’s Jarno Trulli, who had originally been penalized for passing Hamilton under the safety car.

According to the FIA, in the original enquiry into the incident, both Hamilton and McLaren stated that they had not deliberately let Trulli pass. However, in interview footage recorded immediately after the race - and not originally seen by stewards - Hamilton says he was instructed to move over for Trulli.

Furthermore, the FIA say that McLaren radio recordings contain ‘two explicit orders’ given to Hamilton to let the Toyota pass. Based on this new evidence the stewards 'felt strongly that they had been misled' by the driver and team, resulting in their decision to disqualify the world champion.

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Full statement from the FIA:

PENALTY IMPOSED ON DRIVER NO 1 LEWIS HAMILTON AND COMPETITOR VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES

SUMMARY OF KEY CONSIDERATIONS

At the first hearing following the Australian Grand Prix the Stewards did not have the benefit of the radio exchanges between driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and his Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes nor did they have access to the comments to the Media given by Lewis Hamilton immediately after the end of the race.

From the video recordings available to the Stewards during the hearing it appeared that Jarno Trulli’s car left the track and car No 1 moved into third place. It then appeared that Trulli overtook Hamilton to regain third place, which at the time was prohibited as it was during the Safety Car period.

During the hearing, held approximately one hour after the end of the race, the Stewards and the Race Director questioned Lewis Hamilton and his Team Manager David Ryan specifically about whether there had been an instruction given to Hamilton to allow Trulli to overtake. Both the driver and the Team Manager stated that no such instruction had been given. The Race Director specifically asked Hamilton whether he had consciously allowed Trulli to overtake. Hamilton insisted that he had not done so.

The new elements presented to the Stewards several days after the 2009 Australian Grand Prix which led to the reconvened Stewards Meeting clearly show that:

a. Immediately after the race and before Lewis Hamilton attended the Stewards Meeting he gave an interview to the Media where he clearly stated that the Team had told him to let Trulli pass.

b. Furthermore, the radio exchanges between the driver and the Team contain two explicit orders from the Team to let the Toyota pass.

The Stewards, having learned about the radio exchanges and the Media interview, felt strongly that they had been misled by the driver and his Team Manager which led to Jarno Trulli being unfairly penalised and Lewis Hamilton gaining third place.

Transcript of the radio transmission between Lewis Hamilton and his team:

Team: OK Lewis, you should need to make sure your delta is positive over the safety car line. After the safety car line the delta doesn’t matter but no overtaking. No overtaking.

Lewis Hamilton: The Toyota went off in a line at the second corner, ..., is this OK?

Team: Understood, Lewis. We’ll confirm and get back to you.

LH: He was off the track. He went wide.

Team: Lewis, you need to allow the Toyota through. Allow the Toyota through now.

LH: OK.

LH: He’s slowed right down in front of me.

Team: OK, Lewis. Stay ahead for the time being. Stay ahead. We will get back to you. We are talking to Charlie.

LH: I let him past already.

Team: OK, Lewis. That’s fine. That’s fine. Hold position. Hold position.

LH: Tell Charlie I already overtook him. I just let him past.

Team: I understand Lewis. We are checking. Now can we go to yellow G 5, yellow Golf 5.

LH: I don’t have to let him past I should be able to take that position back, if he made a mistake.

Team: Yes, we understand Lewis. Let’s just do it by the book. We are asking Charlie now. You are in P4. If you hold this position. Just keep it together.

Team: OK Lewis, your KERS is full, your KERS is full. Just be aware. You can go back to black F2, black Foxtrott 2.

LH: Any news from Charlie whether I can take it back or not.

Team: Still waiting on a response Lewis, still waiting.

Team: Lewis, work on your brakes please. Front brakes are cold.

Team: If we are able to use one KERS that would be good. If you deploy KERS please do so now.

Team: OK, Lewis, this is the last lap of the race. At the end of the lap the safety car will come in, you just proceed over the line without overtaking, without overtaking. We are looking into the Trulli thing, but just hold position.

FIA sets diffuser appeal date

A date has been set for the FIA International Court of Appeal hearing over the diffusers on the Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams cars. It will take place in Paris on April 14 in the week prior to round three of the championship, the Chinese Grand Prix.

Stewards passed the cars of all three teams in Melbourne on Thursday, prompting protests from rivals, who believe their diffusers may be illegal. Those protests were rejected, a decision that was subsequently appealed by Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and Renault.

It means Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams could in theory be stripped of any points they score in Australia and Malaysia, should their cars be deemed outside of the rules.

What is a Diffuser?

A diffuser allows the air traveling underneath the car a place to expand and decelerate back to road speed as well as providing wake infill. As the air enters towards the front of the car it accelerates and reduces pressure. There is a second suction peak at the transition of the flat bottom and diffuser. The diffuser then eases this "high velocity" air back to normal velocity and also helps fill in the area behind the race car making the whole underbody a more efficient downforce producing device by reducing drag and increasing downforce.

Understand that a true flat bottomed car (one without a diffuser) will produce downforce in and of itself when run in rake. Essentially the entire flat bottom becomes one large diffuser. It too has two suction peaks, one upon entrance, the second at the trailing edge of the flat undertray. A diffuser acts to enhance this underside suction, it acts like a pump, encouraging better flow under the car.

One thing to note is that the rear wing interacts with the diffuser "driving" it. The proximity of the low pressure side of the rear wing encourages better flow through for the underbody.

Diffuser Controversy

Looking at the times from Qualifying, there’s no doubt that the innovative diffuser designs of Toyota’s TF109, Williams’ FW31 and Brawn’s BGP001 is making a difference to performance at Melbourne’s Albert Park.

It is clearly that Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams have found a loophole in the regulations which allows them to run a taller diffuser.

The interpretation of the regulations was very clear in the past - the cars need less downforce for safety reasons. Every time a new car built, it was to be two to three seconds slower than the previous car. That was always the intention of the FIA.

What happened here is that the three teams are going pretty clearly in the direction of downforce! And as we all knew that from 2009 on, all cars run on slick tyres, it was the intention of FIA president Max Mosley and the FIA to impose new rules to reduce downforce.
But somebody was going in the downforce direction that was forbidden by the FIA, and that is not following the principles of the rules.

2009 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX Qualifying

2008 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX Qualifying

FOTA says points change is invalid

The Formula One Teams' Association says the FIA's decision to change the scoring system for 2009 is invalid and cannot be enforced.

FOTA - which proposed an alternative points system but saw it rejected by the FIA World Motor Sport Council - claims that Formula 1 regulations do not allow such a change so close to the season unless all the teams are in agreement.

"Following the decision of the World Motorsport Council of the 17 March 2009 to change the way the drivers’ championship is awarded, the Teams gathered and unanimously agreed to question the validity of this decision," said a FOTA statement.

The regulation in question says that changes to the sporting regulations have to be "published at least 20 days prior to the opening date for entry applications for the championship concerned" unless "the unanimous agreement of all competitors properly entered for the championship or series concerned is obtained."

It added that its own suggestion that the top eight scoring system be amended to a 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 points distribution had the backing of the fans surveyed by FOTA when it was devising its 'roadmap' for F1's future.

FOTA had made a proposal that was carefully based on the results of a Global Audience Survey, which allowed listening to preferences of the public, and all the Teams firmly believe that these indications should be properly taken into account.

Driver with most race wins to become 2009 champion

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has approved a change to the points systems for this year’s drivers’ championship, which will see the title awarded to the driver with the most race wins. The rest of the standings, from second to last place, will be decided by the current points system.

If two or more drivers finish the season with the same number of wins, the title will be awarded to the driver with the most points, the allocation of points being based on the existing 10, 8, 6 etc. structure. The constructors’ championship is unaffected.

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council accepted the proposal for the new system from Formula One Management at a meeting in Paris on Tuesday. An alternative proposal to change the points awarded to drivers finishing in first, second and third place to 12, 9 and 7 points respectively was rejected.

Further changes agreed by the Council included minor tweaks to the testing regulations, increased media duties for teams and drivers at races, and a cost capping option for 2010. Honda’s request to have their entry changed to the Brawn GP Formula One Team was also approved.

The World Motor Sport Council’s decisions in full:

A number of measures were agreed to help reduce costs and increase interest in the FIA Formula One World Championship.

2009 Formula One Regulations

Points

The WMSC accepted the proposal from Formula One Management to award the drivers’ championship to the driver who has won the most races during the season. If two or more drivers finish the season with the same number of wins, the title will be awarded to the driver with the most points, the allocation of points being based on the current 10, 8, 6 etc. system.

The rest of the standings, from second to last place, will be decided by the current points system. There is no provision to award medals for first, second or third place. The Constructors’ Championship is unaffected.

The WMSC rejected the alternative proposal from the Formula One Teams’ Association to change the points awarded to drivers finishing in first, second and third place to 12, 9 and 7 points respectively.

Testing

Teams will be allowed to carry out three one day young driver training tests between the end of the last event of the Championship and 31 December of the same year. Drivers are eligible only if they have not competed in more than two F1 World Championship Events in the preceding 24 months or tested a Formula One car on more than four days in the same 24 month period.

Teams can also conduct eight one day aerodynamic tests carried out on FIA approved straight line or constant radius sites between 1 January 2009 and the end of the last Event of the 2009 Championship.

Media

The FIA will publish the weights of all cars after qualifying at each Event.

For greater clarity for spectators and media, wet tyres have been renamed “intermediate” and extreme-weather tyres renamed “wet”.

On the first day of practice all drivers must be available for autograph signing in their designated team space in the pit lane.

All drivers eliminated in qualifying must make themselves available for media interviews immediately after the end of each session.

Any driver retiring before the end of the race must make himself available for media interviews after his return to the paddock.

All drivers who finish the race outside the top three must make themselves available immediately after the end of the race for media interviews.

During the race every team must make at least one senior spokesperson available for interviews by officially accredited TV crews.

A number of further amendments were adopted for the 2009 Technical Regulations. Full details available on www.fia.com.

2010 Formula One Regulations

Budgets

As an alternative to running under the existing rules, which are to remain stable until 2012, all teams will have the option to compete with cars built and operated within a stringent cost cap.

The cost cap is £30m (currently approximately €33 or $42m). This figure will cover all expenditure of any kind. Anything subsidised or supplied free will be deemed to have cost its full commercial value and rigorous auditing procedures will apply.

To enable these cars to compete with those from teams which are not subject to cost constraints, the cost-capped cars will be allowed greater technical freedom.

The principal technical freedoms allowed are as follows:

1. A more aerodynamically efficient (but standard) under body.
2. Movable wings.
3. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit or a development freeze.

The FIA has the right to adjust elements of these freedoms to ensure that the cost-capped cars have neither an advantage nor a disadvantage when compared to cars running to the existing rules.

The Honda Racing F1 Team requested to change its name to the Brawn GP Formula One Team. The WMSC accepted this request on the basis that the team is, in effect, a new entry in the FIA Formula One World Championship. The contract the team had with the FIA was to run as ‘Honda’, which they are no longer in a position to do. However, the standard fee required for a new entry has been waived.

Ferrari first to debut as F60 is unveiled

Ferrari have become the first team to officially launch their 2009 car after unveiling the F60 online. It is the machine that will be driven by Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen as they defend the Italian squad's 2008 constructors' title.

In line with revisions to the Formula One regulations for 2009, the F60 features a lower, wider front wing and a taller, narrower rear wing. Its name commemorates what will be Ferrari’s 60th F1 campaign.

The F60 is the 55th single-seater produced by Ferrari to contest the world championship and it will make its track debut on Monday afternoon at the team's Mugello circuit, with Massa behind the wheel.

The new car has far fewer aerodynamic appendages on its bodywork compared to its predecessor, due to the rule changes designed to cut downforce and promote more overtaking, with the driver now able to make minor front wing adjustments from the cockpit. The F60’s suspension and layout has also been completely reconfigured as a result, in order to maintain optimum weight distribution.

The F60’s design also takes into account two other major rule changes - the return of slick tyres and the option to use a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Ferrari’s KERS has been designed in collaboration with Magneti Marelli and is centrally mounted on the engine under the rear part of the chassis.

The car’s seven-speed transmission has been redesigned to optimise its aerodynamic efficiency, while Ferrari’s Type 056 V8 has been modified in accordance with the new ruling that requires engines to last for three Grand Prix meetings from 2009, with rev limits cut from 19,000 to 18,000 rpm.

F60 - Right anterior view

F60 - Upper side view

F60 - Lateral view

F60 - Front view


F60 - Steering Wheel

F60 - Kimi Raikkonen

F60 - Felipe Massa

Hero - Vettel; Asshole - Glock

At Lap 70, Vettel passed Hamilton and world champion was nearly on Massa hand.

Last lap, Hamilton passed Glock right in the last seconds and world champion was gone for Massa. Damn it... as an F1 driver, Glock can't even hold it for few seconds?!?!

Formula One teams to run 'green' tyres at Fuji

Formula One racing will show its support for the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign by running on unique green-grooved tyres at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. The sport’s official tyre supplier, Bridgestone, launched the specially-designed rubber at a ceremony in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Next season energy regenerating hybrid devices will be introduced to Formula One racing. This adoption of KERS technology is just one of a number of initiatives launched by the sport to improve its environmental credentials and, hopefully, help accelerate the use of fuel-efficient technology on public roads.

The Make Cars Green campaign aims to reduce the impact of motoring on the environment in a number of ways, such as through the promotion of fuel efficient driver behaviour; the introduction of new technologies to help motorists monitor their environmental impact; the improvement of tyre design to help save energy; and by encouraging the global use of unleaded and sulphur free fuels.

The softer of the two Bridgestone tyres used at Fuji this weekend will retain its central white groove as normal.

Hamilton and Rosberg penalized for pit-lane collision

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Williams’ Nico Rosberg will drop 10 places on the grid at the next round of the championship in France as penalty for their pit-lane incident in Canada.

Hamilton ran into the back of Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari, which was stopped at a red light at the pit exit. The resulting damage put both men out the race, with Hamilton admitting he had not seen the light in time. Rosberg then ran into the rear of Hamilton’s stricken McLaren, but was able to rejoin the race, despite damage to the front of his Williams.

Commenting on the incident, Hamilton said: "As I exited the box, I saw two cars jostling for position ahead of me in the pit lane. Obviously, I didn't want to get involved in their tussle, and was trying not to do so, and then all of a sudden they stopped. And by the time they'd come to a halt, it was too late for me to avoid them. It's just unfortunate when stuff like this happens, but I have no argument with the stewards.”

"There's not much I can say," was Raikkonen's reaction. "My race was ruined by Hamilton's mistake. Obviously, anyone can make mistakes, as I did two weeks ago in Monaco, but it's one thing to make a mistake at two hundred (miles) per hour but another to hit a car stopped at a red light. I am not angry because that doesn't achieve anything and does not change my result! I am unhappy, because I had a great chance of winning."

Lewis, don't jump red light, asshole!

Stupid Lewis Hamilton has ruined the great chance of winning for Kimi Raikkonen in Montreal, Canada, with his stupid mistake. This asshole ran into the back of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari, which was stopped at a red light at the pit exit, resulting damage to the car and put him out of the race.

If you are eager to win the race, do it right! Don't be a bastard to bang your close competitor. You can bang Force India if you want, asshole! Go back to driving school and learn the basic!

After Bahrain...

Bahrain had one color on Sunday afternoon, and that was red.

Massa really needed this victory, and he barely put a wheel wrong in achieving it. His Ferrari had all the pace it needed, and he could control the race. His only problem was ensuring that there was no repeat of Malaysia. Raikkonen was quick, but not quick enough to challenge his team mate. Taking the lead in the world championship for drivers’ points table was adequate compensation as Ferrari dominated, however.

Ferrari F2008

Ferrari F2008 vs. McLaren MP4-23

Ferrari F2008 vs. McLaren MP4-23

Ferrari became the first team to launch their 2008 car on Sunday, Jan 6, when the wraps came off their new challenger at their Maranello base in Italy. The F2008, the 54th single-seater Ferrari have built to contest the Formula One world championship, will be raced by Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in the team’s defence of their drivers’ and constructors’ crowns this season.

The F2008’s design, codenamed internally as the 659, represents Ferrari’s interpretation of the regulations in force in 2008. A major new element of these is the introduction of a new electronic system to be used by all teams, known as SECU (Standard Electronic Control Unit) and produced by MES (McLaren Electronic Systems.) It consists of a single control unit and a software system, the development of which ends as the season begins.

Other areas affected by rule changes are: gearbox, which must be used for four consecutive events; safety, with the introduction of higher side protection around the driver's helmet; materials, with a limit to the type of composites that can be used. As a result of these rules, there has been an increase in the weight of the F2008 over its predecessor.

All aerodynamic surfaces on the car have been completely revised. However, the current version will be replaced by a completely different configuration in time for the first 2008 race in March and an intensive and all-encompassing development programme is planned to run throughout the season.

The monococque has been further cut away under the driver's legs and the side pods and engine cover are more tapered. The suspension system has been reworked and developed around the new aerodynamics.

The wheelbase and weight distribution have been adapted to meet the challenge of the new regulations and on the basis of lessons learned last year in terms of the performance of the Bridgestone tyres. Changes to the technical and sporting regulations in terms of electronics, alongside the introduction of the SECU, have led to the removal of a host of a driver aids, such as traction control and engine braking and the electronically assisted start system, and also mean that management of the differential, engine and gearchange are much simpler.

The gearbox casing is produced in carbon, while the transmission continues to be mounted longitudinally. For the second consecutive year the gearchange is fitted with a quick shift system, adapted to the SECU software and further speeded up. The braking system has been updated with new callipers and innovative concepts regarding cooling.

The 056 engine is mounted longitudinally and continues as a load bearing element. Its basic structure remains unchanged compared to the unit homologated at the start of last season, while its auxiliary systems, air and fuel intakes have been further developed. The technical regulations also call for the use of fuel corresponding to European Union norms, with a content of components derived from biological sources equal to 5.75%.



Ferrari F2008 technical specifications – chassis

Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure

Ferrari longitudinal gearbox
Limited-slip differential

Semiautomatic sequential
electronically controlled gearbox
quick-shift

Number of gears: 7 + Reverse

Ventilated carbon-fibre
disc brakes
Independent suspension,
push-rod activated torsion
springs front and rear

Weight (with water, lubricant and driver): 605 kg

BBS Wheels (front and rear): 13''

Engine

Type: 056

Number of cylinders: 8

Cylinder block in cast
aluminium: V 90°

Number of valves: 32

Pneumatic distribution

Total displacement: 2398 cm3

Piston bore: 98 mm

Weight: <95 kg

Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection

Magneti Marelli static
electronic ignition

Fuel: Shell V-Power ULG 64

Lubricant: Shell SL-1098





McLaren revealed their 2008 challenger on Monday, Jan 7, following Ferrari Sunday's event of F2008 launch, as the wraps came off the MP4-23 in a special ceremony at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. The car will be raced by Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen this season, and both were present to witness the car’s unveiling.

McLaren missed out on both championships in 2007 after they were stripped of their constructors’ points following the Ferrari ‘spy scandal’ affair. However, team boss Ron Dennis insisted they would be fighting for both titles again in 2008.



The 2008 season gets underway in Melbourne on March 16.

Engine development to be frozen for ten years

The FIA has announced that it will tighten current restrictions and freeze engine development for a decade as of next season. The decision was taken at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, which was held in Paris on Wednesday.

“There will be a total freeze on engine development for a period of 10 years, starting from 2008,” said the statement. “A change can be made after five years but only with the unanimous agreement of all stakeholders and following a further two-year notice period. Total freeze means that there will be no exceptions for development of certain parts of the engine, as is the case under the current regulations.”

Rules restricting engine development were introduced for the 2007 season.