DECEMBER 12, 2001

Teams discuss the end of qualifying engines

IT is being reported that the Formula 1 teams discussed limiting the cars to two engines per Grand Prix event at last month's Technical Working Group meeting.

The new rule would reduce the money being spending on engines, as well as force the engine manufacturers to reevaluate engine building strategies. Limited to only two engines per weekend, the teams would presumably run one engine on Friday and Saturday, and the other engine during the race, forcing them to abandon the practice of running special short life, ultra-high performance qualifying engines.

There could be more discussion about the proposal at the FIA World Council meeting on Friday.