Formula 1 costs slashed for 2009

Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Current page

101

Current page

102

Current page

103

Current page

104

Current page

105

Current page

106

Current page

107

Current page

108

Current page

109

Current page

110

Current page

111

Current page

112

Current page

113

Current page

114

Current page

115

Current page

116

Current page

117

Current page

118

Current page

119

Current page

120

Current page

121

Current page

122

Current page

123

Current page

124

Current page

125

Current page

126

Current page

127

Current page

128

Current page

129

Current page

130

Current page

131

Current page

132

Current page

133

Current page

134

Current page

135

Current page

136

Current page

137

Current page

138

Current page

139

Current page

140

Current page

141

Current page

142

Current page

143

Current page

144

Current page

145

Current page

146

Current page

147

Current page

148

Current page

149

Current page

150

Current page

151

Current page

152

Current page

153

Current page

154

Current page

155

Current page

156

Current page

157

Current page

158

Current page

159

Current page

160

Current page

161

Current page

162

Current page

163

Current page

164

Current page

165

Current page

166

Current page

167

Current page

168

Current page

169

Current page

170

Current page

171

Current page

172

Current page

173

Current page

174

Current page

175

Current page

176

Current page

177

Current page

178

Current page

179

Current page

180

Current page

181

Current page

182

The FIA claims that a package of changes announced on December 12 will reduce Formula 1 costs by as much as 30 per cent in 2009. More measures for 2010 – including a ban on refuelling which would completely change the complexion of races – will contribute to a further reduction in expenditure.

The dramatic cost-cutting package was signed off by the World Motor Sport Council after Max Mosley met with the Formula One Teams’ Association. The ruling was made just days after the shock of Honda’s withdrawal (see p13), and the meeting was marked by an unprecedented degree of unanimity as all those involved realised a crisis point had been reached, and that other manufacturers could also leave the sport. The meeting was hailed as an extremely positive one by both Mosley and FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo.

The most dramatic change for 2009 is that there will be no testing at all after the start of the season, putting an extra focus on the Fridays of race weekends.

The other major cost saving concerns engines. As already announced they will have to last for three race weekends, and there will be a maximum of 20 available for each team, including testing. In order to extend engine life the rev limit will be cut from 19,000rpm to 18,000. No internal re-tuning will be allowed by way of adjustment, although trumpets and injectors can be modified. And most significantly, customer engine suppliers will have to cut their prices by 50 per cent from their 2008 rates.

From January 1 teams will not be allowed to do any full scale wind tunnel testing – 60 per cent is the new maximum – and ‘a formula to balance wind tunnel-based research against CFD research, if agreed between the teams, will be proposed to the FIA’.

Efforts will be made to cut back on race weekend staff, and in addition factories will be closed for six weeks a year – although it remains to be seen how that will be achieved.

Mosley’s push for a standard engine from 2010 has been shelved; instead manufacturers have agreed to offer supplies at less than €5m per annum. The FIA has said engines can also be sourced from an independent supplier, in effect Cosworth, which had been lined up to produce the standard engine. Mosley’s plan for a standard gearbox from 2010 remains in place, ‘subject to confirmation of practicability’.

On the chassis side, the FIA and the teams will decide which elements of the cars are ‘performance differentiators’. Efforts will be made to cut costs on items that do not fall into that category by making them standard.

In addition to the refuelling ban the FIA is considering cutting race distances, while other measures include further aero research cuts and efforts to reduce factory expenditure.

The engine rules will remain in place until 2012, and for 2013 the FIA and FOTA will investigate a more energy-efficient engine. The FIA has back-pedalled on the contentious and expensive introduction of KERS, stressing that it is not compulsory for 2009, and indicating that FOTA is exploring a standard (and cheaper) system for 2010. Adam Cooper