A lot of mixing and matching approach has been used by the FIA to come up with the 2010 formula one rules. One of the most biting issues, the budget caps has been confirmed by the FIA but with a twist.

The budgetary cap will be optional. The teams which do adhere to the budgetary caps get a lot of benefits. So most rich teams too may adhere to the caps. But we will get to that later.

• Refuelling is again banned in formula one, last time it was so in the 1993 season after which to break the supremacy of the Williams F1 team, refuelling was introduced. I was too young in 1993, read it off another site(dont remember which) that it was so. But in the 2010 formula one season, teams shall be allowed to refuel their cars after the third qualifying. Also Tyre Warmers will be banned.
• The FIA has increased the list of cars on the grid to 26, which translates to 13 teams. Probably Prodrive and USGP will launch their respective teams in the 2010 season. Bernie Ecclestone had told BBC Radio that he has a lot of people confirmed for next season (2010). So lets hold out for announcements with respect to new formula one teams.
• The FOM will be providing financial assistance to all the new teams in the 2010 formula one season to offset the costs associated with starting and maintaining a new formula one team. The official statement from the FIA read :

In addition to the payments which it already makes to the top ten teams in the Championship, Formula One Management, the commercial rights holder, has agreed to offer participation fees and expenses to the new teams. This includes an annual payment of US$10 million to each team plus free transportation of two chassis and freight up to 10,000 kg in weight (not including the two chassis) as well as 20 air tickets (economy class) for each round trip for events held outside Europe.

To be eligible for this, each new team must qualify as a “Constructor” and demonstrate that it has the necessary facilities, financial resources and technical competence to compete effectively in Formula One.

• The minimum weight for formula one cars will now be 620 kg from the 2010 formula one season. Alexander Wurz must be happy.

Budget Cap

Now for the main item, the 40m pounds budgetary cap. All teams who wish to register for the 2010 formula one season must do so by the 29th of May. In these applications they must also mention if they are willing to operate under the budget caps or not. So the budget cap is actually optional, but wait.

In case a team adheres to budget caps they get a lot of functional advantages like :

1. Movable wings, front and rear.
2. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit.

The teams who adhere to the budgetary cap will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing.

Ferrari is already unhappy about the budget caps and Max Mosely has said that F1 will miss Ferrari if they decide to quit over the budgetary limit. But Bernie was quick to the defence of Ferrari saying that he would work to ensure that Ferrari are saved.

Also the 40 million budgetary cap does not cover the following expense of F1 teams :

1. Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes;
2. Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA;
3. Engine costs (for 2010 only);
4. Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship;
5. Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship.