GPMA teams submit entries for 2008

The five manufacturer-associated teams, BMW Sauber, Honda, McLaren, Renault and Toyota, have signed up to the Formula One championship for 2008. Last week at a World Motor Sport Council meeting it was agreed that entries for 2008 must be lodged by March 31st if the teams wanted to have a say in deciding future regulations.

A Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association (GPMA) statement on March 27th confirmed the teams have submitted their entries. "The teams look forward to the FIA's acceptances, and to beginning discussions with the FIA in order to finalise the regulations for 2008," it said.

"The GPMA members are united and remain committed to improve the sport for the benefit of all stakeholders. Significant progress has been made in the negotiations between the GPMA and the commercial rights holder, and discussions are ongoing."

The teams' signing up makes the threat of a breakaway series much less likely, although the GPMA said there was not yet a final agreement. It's thought there could be a resolution soon and the group recently welcomed the deal for private equity firm CVC to acquire F1's commercial holding company SLEC.

Submitting entries for 2008, presuming they are accepted, gives the teams the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process -- FIA President Max Mosley said that although the 2008 rules are now decided, a majority agreement by the entered teams could make changes.

One of the regulations passed by the Council was a freeze on engine development from 2008 and last Friday the FIA held an informal meeting with representatives from Renault, Cosworth and Ferrari to discuss proposals.

It was agreed that development would be put on hold from 2008 to 2012 but modifications could be made each year if the details were presented to the FIA before January 1st of the year in question and the complete engine delivered before February 1st of that year.

Changes will be limited to "those that the FIA is satisfied are carried out and necessary for cost reduction or reliability. No modification will be permitted which, in the opinion of the FIA, may result in a performance gain."