FIA decide one engine per weekend

The FIA have gone ahead with the decision to allow only one engine per driver for a three-day race weekend. At the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris today the ruling was passed, which will be met with approval by some but not by all. The decision means that if a driver needs to change an engine he will lose places on the grid as a result.

"Engine limitation during the event," the announcement said. "From 1 January 2004, each driver may use only one engine for the three days of a Grand Prix weekend. Each time his engine is changed during the event, the driver will move back 10 places on the grid. The FIA, in consultation with the teams, will define an engine change so as to prevent the rebuilding of an engine at the circuit. Use of its spare car counts as use of an additional engine."

Other rulings made in today's meeting included the compulsory use of the HANS protection system: "Head and Neck Protection System (HANS)-Use of the Head and Neck Safety (HANS) will be compulsory in the FIA Formula One World Championship from 1 January 2003 (and also for F3000) provided the FIA has confirmation from each team that no driver is disadvantaged by using the device and that the FIA is able to conclude a licensing agreement with DaimlerChrysler which enables the device to be used in all international motorsport."

The FIA chose not to change any chassis regulations for the next two years. Any cars unable to move from the grid within sixty seconds of the green light going out at the start of the formation lap will be pushed to the pitlane, applicable immediately. Stewards have been given the authority to move a driver involved in an incident ten places back from his qualifying position for the grid at the next event, also applicable immediately.