‘Friday’ rule amended?

It is suggested that the 'Friday' driver rule may be updated for 2006. With six huge carmakers on the grid – and teams like McLaren, Williams, BMW and BAR-Honda eligible for the privilege either this year or next – there is an initiative to make it available for the bottom four, rather than six, teams.

''I have heard some discussion (about it),'' BAR technical director Geoff Willis admitted. ''I really don't know. We're working on the likelihood it will be the same (rules) as this year.''

The spanner in the works of changing the rule is that it would require a near-impossible unanimous team vote.