Tuesday, October 29, 2002
The changes should help McLaren and BMW Williams challenge Ferrari.
LONDON (AP) -- Formula One expects to produce closer races next season, and spend less money doing it.
The FIA's Formula One Commission voted in favor of sweeping changes to testing, qualifying and the points system Monday, hoping to keep Ferrari from repeating this season's display of dominance in which they won 15 of 17 races.
Team orders that "interfere with the race results" were also banned.
Money issues
"The main changes today were the money issues," said Niki Lauda, team director of Jaguar. "Qualifying changes and testing are money issues."
The 26-member commission, headed by FIA president Max Mosley and F1's commercial head Bernie Ecclestone, turned down a proposal that would have added weight to the fastest car, and a plan to have drivers switch teams for the first 10 races.
"What we have to do is walk a fine line between not doing enough, and on the other side doing too much," Mosley said at a London meeting.
"On balance, it seems that what we are doing is likely to produce a significant change," he said. "And it would have been a mistake to do too much in one go."
F1 officials decided changes were needed after Ferrari won 15 of 17 races last season, with Schumacher winning a record 11 events. Ferrari's dominant performance resulted in a drop in TV ratings and questions from sponsors.
The commission approved changes for qualifying, testing, points and tires.
Mosley and Ecclestone were the main proponents of the team-swapping and weight handicapping. But they said the changes that were approved should make the sport more exciting.
Ecclestone believes the changes will help McLaren and BMW Williams challenge Ferrari.
Objective is fairness
"We hope that what has happened will liven things up," Ecclestone said. "They are competitive teams, not happy with being where they are. They're not used to losing. I'm sure they are going to chase Ferrari next year.
"They don't want a handout, they want to beat the competition fair and square."
Schumacher, who won his third straight title, set F1 records for most season victories (11), most points in a season (144), largest winning points margin (67), and most career wins (64).