F1 Summit Called To Give Teams Chance To Focus On Economics

F1 teams "have been called to a summit meeting on Dec. 18 in a bid for a breakthrough in the sport's costs crisis," according to AUTOSPORT. Lotus, Sauber and Force India "have been pushing for ways to help their financial situation, with the hike in engine prices this year having hurt all the customer teams." Frustrations about the situation "further increased after last week's F1 Commission gathering when, despite an all-day meeting, the subject of costs did not get debated at length as other issues took precedence before time ran out." The failure to address the costs situation properly has left the FIA and F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone determined not to let the matter slip — "which is why they have called a fresh meeting for later this month where it is expected to be the main focus." Autosport

AUTOSPORT's Jonathan Noble wrote F1 teams and the FIA "have given the green light for the introduction of the virtual safety car (VSC) in 2015, following successful late-season tests." The "push for a way of better controlling driver speed followed Jules Bianchi's horrific crash at the Japanese Grand Prix." Trials of a virtual safety car system — "where a speed limit is imposed around the track for incidents that do not require a full safety car — began in United States GP practice." Autosport