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The World Council of the International Federation (FIA) gave the green light on Wednesday to the measures agreed, a few days before, by the 10 Formula 1 teams, Liberty Media, the company that owns the business, and the FIA ​​itself. The most substantial change will affect, from 2021, the budget limit of the equipment, reduced to $ 145 million. However, the 2020 World Cup will also be affected by a number of sports, technical and financial issues.

The objective of the FIA ​​is to turn F1 into a long-term sustainable business, but the cost containment policy will already be felt in this championship, whose start date, not yet confirmed, points to July 5 at the GP of Austria.

The first point that is clarified, in the sports field, affects the races that will be held behind closed doors. The goal is to create a safe environment, like that Covid-19 free bubble in the Red Bull Ring, which Ross Brawn, FIA sporting director, already talked about in early April.

Back to 'tokens'

Likewise, in 2020 the tests in wind tunnels and those affecting fluid computational dynamics will be reduced. These cuts, which will sharpen from 2021, represent a serious setback for those teams, such as McLaren, who had invested a lot of money in their facilities to improve the aerodynamics of their cars.

As for tires, teams will be able to test new compounds during the second free practice session of each race. A small truce for Pirelli, the sole supplier, who was unable to draw conclusions from its compounds during the weeks of forced stoppage by Covid-19.

In the technical field, it has been decided to freeze the development of the chassis and gearboxes, so that in 2021 the teams will have to bring these same basic components of their cars to the track. In addition, the token system - launched in 2014 - is recovered to limit the development of other elements. Finally, everything related to the combustion engine and hybrid energy recovery units (MGU-K and MGU-H) will also be kept under control.

The sooner the better

All these factors will immediately affect the operation of the 20 single-seaters on the grid, which until now have only been able to run during the six official test days in Montmeló. All will have to adapt in record time and prepare in the best way for the even more awaited regulatory revolution, which had to be postponed to 2022 because of the pandemic.

This new agreement, which is already known as the New Deal in the corridors of the Great Circus, will mark the path for the next three years. A period full of uncertainties for the Great Circus, which risks losing halfway through the grid on the way. McLaren, the team that emerged as the leader of the modest, was satisfied on Wednesday with the agreement. "This is a crucial moment for our sport and today it has won Formula 1," said Zak Brown, head of the Woking team.

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