FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

In its decision of 13 September 2007, the WMSC instructed the FIA Technical Department to conduct an investigation of the preparatory work by McLaren on its 2008 car to determine whether that car incorporates any confidential Ferrari information. This investigation has been concluded and a detailed report submitted to the WMSC. The WMSC considers that McLaren, Ferrari and the other competitors in the FIA Formula One World Championship should be afforded the opportunity to make considered representations on the report at an extraordinary general meeting of the WMSC to be held on Thursday 14 February 2008 in Paris.

As part of the total 10-year freeze on engine development, only engines which have been homologated by the FIA and delivered no later than 31 March 2008* may be used at an Event during the 2008-2017 Championships. Any such engine must include all the parts described in the 2008 F1 Technical Regulations and be identical to one which has completed two race Events during the 2007 Championship season.

* Or at the first opportunity in the event that a competitor has no engine available which has completed two race Events in the 2008 Championship season.

A number of principles for cost reduction were agreed for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

The following aerodynamic testing restrictions will be applied from 2008:

• Teams to use no more than one wind tunnel.
• Test fluid to be air at atmospheric pressure.
• Maximum test section wind speed 50m/sec.
• Maximum model scale 60%.
• No more than one model to be tested during a run.
• Maximum usage to be equivalent to 15 runs per 8 hour day on 5 days per week for team F1 purposes. Tunnel may be contracted out at other times.
• Aerodynamic testing may only take place in wind tunnels if at reduced scale or at FIA approved test tracks if full scale. Full size testing to be subject to the F1 testing agreement.
• Full scale specific aerodynamic testing is to be reduced to 5 days/year.
• Restrictions will be imposed to stop shift of resource from wind tunnel testing to CFD.
• The number of people involved in CFD development will be limited to a number to be agreed.
• CFD computer systems will be characterised in order to set hardware performance limits but growth will be allowed year-on-year to allow for hardware / software development.

Other restrictions will be placed on Rig Testing, Design and Manufacturing, Suspension and Brakes, Hydraulic Systems, Bodywork, Weight Distribution, Circuit Testing and the number of personnel at races.

Further details of these restrictions will be given to the teams at a meeting on 11 January 2008 and detailed regulations based on these principles will be put forward at the spring meeting of the WMSC.

The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), to be introduced in 2009, will continue to be an entirely open technology. As such, the use of any type of KERS storage/transmission technology will be permitted.

The WMSC has authorised the FIA to issue libel proceedings against English newspaper The Sunday Times, which ran an article claiming that the FIA was engaged in a witch-hunt against the McLaren-Mercedes team.

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

The following calendars have been adopted for the 2009 and 2010 seasons of the FIA World Rally Championship.

2009 FIA World Rally Championship

01-Feb 15-Feb 15-Mar 05-Apr 26-Apr  24-May 14-Jun  28-Jun 02-Aug  06-Sep  04-Oct  25-Oct

Ireland Norway  Cyprus  Portugal Argentina Italy Greece  Poland  Finland  Australia Spain  GB

2010 FIA World Rally Championship

24-Jan 14-Feb 07-Mar 11-Apr 25-Apr 16-May 20-Jun 18-Jul 08-Aug 22-Aug 12-Sep 10-Oct

Monte Carlo Sweden Mexico Jordan Turkey New Zealand Indonesia Russia Bulgaria Germany Japan France

A number of measures to improve side impact protection have been adopted for all manufacturer cars in the 2008 World Rally Championship. The safety measures allow for more space for absorbing energy; a stronger supporting seat; an energy absorber; safety nets and optimised belt anchorage positions.

Further side impact measures, including strong seat rails and a load spreading door cage, will be applied as soon as the manufacturers and the equipment suppliers are able to comply.

The FIA Junior Rally Championship has been reinstated as a world series (FIA Junior World Rally Championship) as it now runs over three continents.

GT 

The sixth round of the 2008 FIA GT championship in Bucharest has been moved to 24 August 2008.

WTCC 

The fifth round of the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship in Estoril has been moved to 13 July 2008.

CALENDAR

The WMSC approved calendars for a number of international series and national championships with foreign events, including the Champ Car World Series, GP2, DTM, Formula BMW Europe and Formula Three Euro Series.