These rules, which will be brought into the sport over the next five years, include the possible elimination of aerodynamic appendices such as barge boards and winglets, the introduction of energy-recovery devices, and the possibility of a completely new engine in 2012.

The objective of these new rules is to promote research relevant to the motor industry (and society in general), to eliminate developments which do not meet these criteria, to reduce costs while improving cost effectiveness and to keep, and augment, the image and excitement of Formula One as the world’s leading motor sport category.

An agenda for the next five years has been set out and detailed opinion will be sought on a number of these points from the GPMA and from car industry experts.

Certainly, the GPMA is fully supportive of all of the measures put forward so far. During a recent question and answer session with selected press alongside GPMA Chairman Professor Burkhard Göschel, FIA President Max Mosley said: “We have complete agreement on all issues. The engine freeze came forward to 2007 and we are now totally agreed on the principals on which we are going to approach all of the problems in future.”

Göschel added: “It is an agreement with a common understanding that both the FIA and the GPMA are following the same route. As Max explained Formula One should be focussed on the future areas the car industry is going to. He also mentioned CO2 emmissions for example, which will be the biggest challenge for the car industry in the future. So we have to take all ideas and work out how to bring them into Formula One racing.”

The full agenda, as agreed by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, is as follows:

2007
 
- regulations are already published
- (existing 2.4 litre engine remains “frozen”);

2008
 
- regulations as published but possible elimination of aerodynamic appendices (barge boards, winglets, chimneys, etc) forward of rear wheel centreline and behind front wheel centreline (subject to unanimous agreement of competing teams);
- possible sporting regulations to restrict the use of wind tunnels and/or models for use in wind tunnels and/or test rigs (subject to the consent of a majority of competing teams);
- (existing 2.4 litre engine remains frozen)

2009
 
- energy recovery and re-use from braking
- reduction of 50% of downforce
- aerodynamic and other changes to facilitate overtaking
- existing 2.4 litre engine remains frozen or, possibly, a four-race drive train (engine and transmission)

2010
 
- a proportion of waste heat recovered and used to propel the car
- a proportion of waste energy from exhaust gases recovered and used to propel the car
- wholly or partially standardised aerodynamics (or, possibly, new rules to encourage road-relevant research into aerodynamics)
- (existing 2.4 litre engine remains frozen, or, if applicable, four-race drive train remains frozen)

2011
 
- perhaps a new four-race engine including
- high-efficiency turbocharging
- fuel (energy) flow limits
- direct injection
- downsizing so as to ensure very high (15000+) rpm
- bio fuels (possible freedom to use any bio fuel, with a limited maximum energy flow rate rather than a maximum fuel flow rate)
- perhaps a new approach to the chassis with
- further reductions in downforce
- greater emphasis on cornering performance and handling by means of chassis, suspension, and brake management
- complete freedom to use electronics to make the car more energy-efficient (drive train, etc, management)
- possibly also free up driver-aid electronics
- materials – limitations on materials to bring them more into line with those used in road cars
- other road-relevant technologies

2012
 
- new engine as above
- It is proposed that the foregoing should be a basis for discussion. There may be other interesting and important technologies as well as areas of research which are not mentioned.

Everything will be on the principle that new technologies, or rather the relevant devices, shall be freely available for sale to any team which wants them at an easily affordable price.

Click here to read the full transcript of the question and answer session with Max Mosley and Burkhard Göschel.