The FIA has supplied Formula One’s Technical Working Group (TWG) with three sets of proposals aimed at reducing the performance of the cars in the coming seasons.
All include key changes to bodywork and aerodynamic regulations, designed to reduce the amount of downforce, and one features the much-talked-about switch to smaller 2.4 litre V8 engines for the 2006 season.
While putting forward the three packages for consideration, the FIA said it would also be willing to consider a combination of various elements from the different packages, if all the teams can agree.
In addition, the FIA asked for the immediate consideration of two safety-related measures that it would like to introduce as soon as possible. One is eliminating the use of materials that leave sharp shards of debris on the track in the event of an accident. The second is a reduction in the car weight limit so the use of ballast can be eliminated, thus reducing the amount of energy to be dissipated in a crash.
The TWG was due to meet on Monday September 6 to discuss the proposals.
Details of the FIA packages in full:
Package 1 consists of the FIA's suggestions for Sporting and Technical Regulations dated 16 July 2004 with the following differences:
1) The following amendments will be made to Article 3:
3.7 Front bodywork height :
3.7.1 All bodywork situated forward of a point lying 330mm behind the front wheel centre line, and more than 250mm from the centre line of the car, must be no less than 100mm 150mm and no more than 300mm 350mm above the reference plane.
Furthermore, all bodywork situated forward of a point lying 330mm in front of the front wheel centre line, and more than 250mm from the centre line of the car, must be no less than 150mm and no more than 350mm above the reference plane.
3.7.2 All bodywork situated forward of a point lying 330mm in front of the front wheel centre line must be no less than 50mm above the reference plane.
2) Additional constraints will be placed on engines in 2006 :
- The cylinder bore will be fixed
- The cylinder spacing and engine length will be fixed
- The crankshaft centre line height will be fixed
- The engine mounting points front and rear will be fixed
Package 2 consists of the FIA's suggestions for Sporting and Technical Regulations dated 16 July 2004 with the following amendments to Article 3:
3.9 Bodywork between the rear wheels :
3.9.1 No bodywork more than 100mm from the car centre line, and which is situated between the rear wheel centre line and a point lying 330mm forward of it, may be more than 600mm above the reference plane.
3.9.2 No bodywork between 75mm and 480mm more than 50mm from the car centre line, and which is situated between the rear wheel centre line and a point lying 150mm behind it, may be located between 375mm and 600mm be more than 450mm above the reference plane.
3.10 Height behind the rear wheel centre line :
3.10.1 Any part of the car behind the centre line of the rear wheels must not be more than 800mm above the reference plane.
3.10.2 No bodywork behind the centre line of the rear wheels, and more than 150mm each side of the longitudinal centre line of the car, may be less than 300mm above the reference plane.
3.10.3 Any bodywork more than 150mm behind the rear wheel centre line which is between 300mm and 600mm above the reference plane, and between 75mm and 480mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between 300mm and 375mm above the reference plane and between 150mm and 500mm behind the rear wheel centre line. When viewed from the side of the car no longitudinal cross section may have more than one closed section in the lower area.
Any bodywork behind the rear wheel centre line which is more than 600mm 375mm above the reference plane, and between 75mm and 480mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between 600mm and 800mm above the reference plane and between the rear wheel centre line and a point 350mm behind it. When viewed from the side of the car, no longitudinal cross section may have more than two closed sections in the upper area. Furthermore, the distance between adjacent sections at any longitudinal plane must not exceed 15mm at their closest position.
In side view, the projected area of any bodywork lying between 300mm and 800mm above the reference plane and between the rear wheel centre line and a point 600mm behind it must be greater than 230000mm².
3.17.2 Bodywork may deflect no more than 10mm vertically when a 500N load is applied vertically to it 400mm 450mm forward of the rear wheel centre line and 650mm from the car centre line. The load will be applied in a downward direction using a 50mm diameter ram and an adapter of the same size, Teams must supply the latter when such a test is deemed necessary.
Package 3 consists of the FIA's suggestions for Sporting and Technical Regulations dated 16 July 2004 with the following differences for application in 2006:
1) The car reference plane will be required to extend as far forward as the front wheel centre line.
2) All turning vanes and barge boards will be forbidden.
3) The only changes to Article 5 will be the following:
5.1 Engine specification :
5.1.1 Only 4-stroke engines with reciprocating pistons are permitted.
5.1.2 Engine capacity must not exceed 2400 cc.
5.1.3 Supercharging is forbidden.
5.1.4 All engines must have 8 cylinders and the normal section of each cylinder must be circular.
5.1.5 Engines may have no more than 5 valves per cylinder.
5.2 Other means of propulsion :
5.2.1 The use of any device, other than the 2.4 litre, four stroke engine described in 5.1 above, to power the car, is not permitted.
5.2.2 The total amount of recoverable energy stored on the car must not exceed 300kJ, any which may be recovered at a rate greater than 2kW must not exceed 20kJ.
Note:
To be accompanied by a sporting rule that no team may use an engine which is not available free of charge and on a fully competitive basis to a number of other teams equal to or greater than the number of teams entered in the Championship divided by the number of different makes of engine in use, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
The supplier of each such engine (or its parent company when deemed appropriate by the FIA) would be required to give a binding undertaking to the FIA that it would not cease supply without first giving written notice during the year preceding its last full year of participation.
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