The FIA’s recent announcement of a ten-year engine freeze on F1 engine development is just the first of a whole range of new cost cutting measures the motorsport governing body has planned. The World Motor Sport Council has now agreed to several other major changes, including limiting the time allowed for aerodynamic testing to just 15 runs per eight-hour day.

Other restrictions will affect vehicle design and manufacturing processes, rig testing, suspension, brake and hydraulic systems development, bodywork, weight distribution, on-track testing and the number of personnel that may work at races, reports AutoWeek. The decision is to provide smaller and less affluent teams with a more equal footing in terms of development budget, which should, theoretically, make races more interesting.

Of all the cost cutting measures planned, the limits to aerodynamic testing are likely to be the most frustrating for engineers. The new rules also stipulate that only a 60% scale model can be used in wind tunnel tests, and only one model can be used during a session. Full scale tests will only be allowed on a race track with a real car and only for five days out of the year.