The current rules on restricting engine development in Formula 1, introduced for the 2007 season, have been beefed up and extended. Get this, there will now be a total freeze on engine development for the next decade!!

So what's green about that?? Well, FIA, the sport's governing body, want the teams to focus on alternate energy sources to propel their cars to the checkered flag. For instance, in 2009 the teams will begin using so called kinetic energy recovery systems, which in simple terms compose of a flywheel that spins under braking storing energy that is released under subsequent acceleration.

Biofuels begin introduction next season when 5.75% of racing fuel must come from renewable sources. FIA want teams to be developing methods to capture, store and release heat energy from exhaust gases and the engines themselves for introduction around 2011.

Formula 1 has delivered many automotive developments over the years such as traction control and anti-lock braking systems, so I'm all for F1 leading the way in greener technologies too. However, I am a little confused how this can really be achieved without developing the engines. Is it really a good idea in 10 years time to have all these other funky ideas on the car, but still be using a 10 year old lump to power it??

One other idea I had heard from Max Mosely, President of FIA, was to give the teams a certain limit of fuel and they would then have to make their cars as fuel efficient as possible to get to the finish line. It's the old cliche, in order to finish first, first you have to finish. Personally, I thought this was a great idea, but I don't see how it's possible if you freeze engine development.

One other slight concern I have is the regulation of all this. Formula 1 is complex enough and we've certainly seen this season how intense and secretive development is. I do fear the introduction of even greater complications will result in too much involvement of stewards investigating irregularities. Remember, McLaren's appeal against BMW & Williams at the Brazilian Grand Prix is based on the temperature of the fuel they put in the cars. F1 regulations state that fuel must not be more than 10 degrees centigrade cooler than the ambient temperature of the track. Cooler fuel gives a slight performance improvement. This is a perfect example of how complicated and competitive F1 regulations already are. It would be a disaster for the sport if future titles end up being decided in the courts instead of on the track.