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  Friday, 22 March, 2002, 17:39 GMT
Mosley pushes for testing ban
FIA president Max Mosley
Mosley originally wanted even tighter rules on engines
Motorsport boss Max Mosley has reiterated his belief that Formula One teams should be more severely restricted in the amount of testing they can do.

Mosley wants the move as part of his drive to cut costs in F1.

As part of this, a new rule was introduced this week whereby teams will only be allowed one engine per driver for each race weekend from 2004.

Mosley originally wanted the rule introduced for 2003, but he was forced to compromise when the car manufacturers involved in F1 refused to agree.


As far as I am concerned, testing is money down the drain
Max Mosley
FIA president

The manufacturers, who build the engines used by F1 teams, said 2003 was too soon.

They also resisted a move for them to be obliged to make their engines available to more than one team.

But Mosley is determined to press ahead with his agenda in other ways if he can.

"If I could just make up the rules myself, I would abolish testing (during the season) and allow it only in the winter and on the Friday before a grand prix at the specific venues," he said.

"But the teams would have to agree on that and, at the moment, they want to carry on testing.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's money down the drain because all of them are developing their cars and the difference between them stays the same.

'Money saved'

"Perhaps you are two tenths of a second faster but there are millions paid out in vain for that."

Mosley said he was pleased that the engine restriction would be introduced.

"The main point however is that, from 2004, we will race for the whole weekend with one engine. That saves a lot of money."

Under the agreed changes, drivers will still be able to replace blown engines during a race weekend but will be forced back 10 places on the starting grid if they do so.

Mosley had also wanted to get rid of Friday free practice and replace it with a test day.

Mosley said that it was the race promoters who resisted his plans to restrict Grands Prix to two days.

"I would have preferred it if we could have done it for 2003 already but we have to keep the Friday because all the (circuit) promoters demanded that," said Mosley.

 WATCH/LISTEN
 ON THIS STORY
FIA president Max Mosley
"It would save a great deal of money"
Team boss Eddie Jordan
"There is a definite need to reduce costs"
See also:

20 Mar 02 |  Formula One
Radical F1 changes given go-ahead
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