This 2007, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile or the FIA enforced a rule that sent ripples of shock all throughout the Formula 1 Community. This new rule of theirs said that there will be a “freeze” in engine development for four years.
The reasoning behind this rule is simple. There are so many people out there who keep on criticizing this sport because of the outrageous amount of money spent on it. Most of the money is usually spent on engine development. Every year, all the various automobile companies pool in hundreds of millions in order to create a top-of-the-line engine that will outclass all the others. Now, to reduce the spending done, the FIA enforced this new rule.
At first, the rule was absolute. There was to be strictly no - zero, nada, zilch - development. But upon further analysis of the situation, they realized that there were some errors in this new rule that they created. For one thing, the minor companies would be greatly handicapped because of this rule, and the bigger companies would dominate. Also, the outcome of the races would become horribly predictable, and that would really lessen the games excitement factor. The one with the best engine this year would most likely be the one to win next year and the year after that. So, after some prodding from the participants, the FIA retracted their decision slightly. The developers were given some allowance. Now, some development would be allowed, but there would be nothing major. Furthermore, it would be the FIA who decides which parts are to be developed and which are to be left untouched.
This new rule poses several questions about the future of F1 racing. Hopefully, this won’t detract from the sport’s entertainment factor, and F1 racing will remain as the world’s most exciting sport.
