• WMSC confirms 10 year freeze on F1 engine development
• Qatar federation to sue GPM
• Pescarolo Sport and Saulnier Racing join forces
• KERS to feature on symposium circuit
• JATO: Car C02 emissions drop in top five European markets to an average 160.5 g/km
• Car sharing service and green electricity firm join forces in green marketing incentives
• McLaren ‘spy’ fine totals more than $50 million

• ACEA: European Parliament’s CO2 targets are too stringent
• MEPs back 125g/km EU car C02 emissions standard for 2015
• MEPs back 125g/km car C02 emissions standard for 2015

• McLaren appeal fuels F1 championship doubt
• Brazilian GP contract extended to 2014
• Spyker F1 team to be renamed
• Welsh circuit aims for green first
• MotoGP spec tyre plan abandoned
• Silverstone loses WSBK round
• California to sue EPA on GWG gas legislation

• SMMT: TfL congestion charge plans will neither cut congestion nor drive down CO2
• MEPs to debate car CO2 emissions reduction strategy tonight

A meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Wednesday confirmed a that engine development in the FIA Formula One World Championship will be frozen for a period of ten years starting in 2008.

An FIA statement released after the meeting said, "There will be a total freeze on engine development for a period of 10 years, starting from 2008.

"A change can be made after five years but only with the unanimous agreement of all stakeholders and following a further two-year notice period.

“Total freeze means that there will be no exceptions for development of certain parts of the engine, as is the case under the current regulations."

An F1 engine development freeze began at the start of the start of the 2007 season with some exceptions allowing work to be carried out on exhaust and ancillary systems

The FIA has confirmed that the Woking, UK based McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team will be required to pay a fine ‘in excess of $50 million’ after the World Motor Sport Council's judgement against it in an industrial espionage case.

The WMSC rule that the team should be fined $100 million and lose all its their

Formula One Constructors' Championship points but would be allowed to deduct revenue that would have been earned in prize money for eventually finishing position in the 2007 championship as their points to total up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, after which they scored no further points, would have allowed them to do.

An FIA statement said, "Following the judgement of the World Motor Sport Council on 13 September, a sum in excess of $50 million will be paid in December to the FIA."

The FIA statement confirmed that the money would be used to establish an FIA Development Fund, that will assist the the work of National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) in promoting the development of safer motor sport worldwide, especially in countries where the motor sport infrastructure is in need of support.

THE Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation (QMMF) is taking legal action against the organisers of the Grand Prix Masters series, in which ex-Formula One drivers raced against each other in identical chassis powered by identical engines, for breach of contract after a race planned for November 17 at the Losail circuit in Qatar was cancelled.

In September it was revealed that Delta Special Projects, the Silverstone, UK based company which supplies the chassis for the Grand Prix Masters race series was seeking a winding up order against the series organisers due to non-payment of invoices. The petition is due to be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on November 28.

QMMF president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah told the Gulf Times newspaper, “We knew there were problems with the GP Masters and that the Losail event was in all probability not going to take place, but we were still hoping that somehow we would be able to put together a race in Qatar.

“But obviously that’s not going to be the case and now that we have it officially that the race will not go ahead, the issue is being tackled by our lawyers. They are studying the files and would decide on the future course of action soon.”

Al-Attiyah said that he had received an e-mail from Scott Poulter, the CEO of Grand Prix masters that read, “We are sorry, we are bankrupt”.

The Le Mans, France based Pescarolo Sport and Magny Cours, France based Saulnier Racing organisations which compete in the Le Mans Series sportscar racing championship have joined forces to form Group Pescarolo Automobiles.

Pescarolo Automobiles will continue to design, manufacture and market sports prototype racing cars and will add a dedicated LMP2 car to its range. The organisation plans to take on an official role in the training of young motorsport engineers as a part of the Institut Européen de formation aux Mécaniques Sportives.

Presentations on Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) technology, which is due to be introduced in Formula One in 2009, are set to feature at a number of number of motorsport and automotive symposia over the next few months.

At the Global Motorsports Congress being held in Cologne, Germany November 5-6 Martin Halley, chief engineer with Xtrac and Jon Hilton, managing partner of Flybrid Systems, will describe their groundbreaking mechanical flywheel KERS - which also incorporates advanced traction drive technology from Torotrak.

At the World Motorsport Symposium that takes place at the UK’s Oxford Brookes University’s engineering centre on November 29-30 Adrian Moore, the technical director of Xtrac, will present a technical paper describing the technology behind the KERS system.

At the CTi Transmission Symposium to be held in Berlin on December 4-5 Chris Brockbank, the business development manager with Torotrak, will present a paper describing the company’s variator traction drive technology used in the mechanical KERS system.

JATO Dynamics has reported that in the seven months to July 2007, new car CO2 emissions in Europe’s ‘big five’ markets - France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – posted an overall drop of 0.3g/km compared to the same period in 2006. JATO analysed emissions from every new car sold in these markets, and the volume-weighted average demonstrates an ongoing reduction in CO2 figures over the past year. The average CO2 figure in the ‘big five’ markets stands at 160.5g/km.

“Clearly, this is an encouraging picture,” says Nasir Shah, Global Business Development Director at JATO. “The industry continues to work hard on reducing CO2 and we anticipate a greater decrease over the next year as manufacturers bring new technologies to the marketplace. However, there is still a lot of work to do before the industry can meet the tough EU objectives.”

Unsurprisingly, the City car (A) segment records the lowest average CO2 emissions, averaging 125.5g/km YTD, while the Small (B) segment averages 136.9g/km and the lower-medium (C1) segment at 149.8g/km. The most improved segment in the YTD data is the Medium MPV segment, which has posted a drop of 12.2g/km to an average of 186.2g/km.

At the other end of the scale, the large SUV segment is recording the highest average CO2 emissions of the industry at 306.5g/km, followed by luxury SUVs at 269.7g/km and luxury cars at 255.2g/km. Untypical for the industry, large SUVs have actually posted an 8.5g/km rise in emissions. “It’s disappointing to see that many consumers still favour the worst polluting large SUVs on the market,” notes Shah.

Zipcar, America’s and the world's largest car sharing service, and Clean Currents, a clean energy company, have formed a partnership whereby Zipcar will offer reduced rental rates to Clean Currents clients and Clean Currents will provide special offers on green electricity to Zipcar for Business (Z2B) drivers.

Z2B members who sign up for clean energy to power their businesses through Clean Currents will be eligible for an instant rebate of up to $150. In addition, Zipcar is offering Clean Currents business clients 30% off of hourly rates and 20% off daily rates and is waiving the application fee and reducing annual memberships to $25 for personal drivers who sign up through www.zipcar.com/cleancurrents.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association ACEA welcomed the European Parliament’s recognition that the car industry needs sufficient lead-time to adjust to new legal requirements on C02 emissions. But the ACEA lamented that the Parliament’s report did not call for “a comprehensive, cost-effective approach” towards reducing CO2 emissions from cars, and that it “clings to car technology targets that are too stringent”.

“The European car industry urges the EU institutions to adopt a comprehensive, integrated approach based on a transparent and thorough impact assessment, following the principles of better regulation”, said Ivan Hodac, secretary general of the ACEA. With an integrated approach - combining new car technology with the increased use of biofuels, adjustments of infrastructure, a more economical driving style and CO2-related taxation - larger gains can be achieved for the environment, while safeguarding investments and employment levels in Europe.

“The manufacturers support the EU objective of 120 g/km and will play their part. They spend €20 billion annually on research & development, they have introduced over 50 CO2-cutting technologies in the past decade and many more are in the pipeline”, added Hodac. “Within an integrated approach, the large majority of carbon reductions will still come from car technology. The EU should now agree on realistic carbon reduction targets for the car industry.

“The upcoming CO2 legislation is not likely to be adopted before 2009. In the meantime, the car industry will continue to introduce further CO2-reducing solutions. But, as the European Parliament has recognised, specific legislative requirements need to be known long ahead to adjust manufacturing processes.”

The European Parliament, adopted yesterday by a large majority an Environment Committee report calling for legislation to cap average emissions from all new passenger cars at 125g CO2/km as of 2015.

MEPs agreed that "average emissions from all passenger cars placed on the EU market in 2015 do not exceed 125g CO2/km". (Taking account of the automobile industry's development and production cycles, MEPs decided to move away from an earlier proposal to introduce such a cap as of 1 January 2012).

At the same time, the EP backed plans to compel car makers to meet these targets by "technical means alone" - i.e. without relying on other CO2-saving measures, such as biofuels, special tyres, or improvements in air conditioning systems.

As of 2020, reads the report, such average emissions should not exceed 95g CO2/km. Long-term targets, urge MEPs, should be determined no later than 2016: these targets "will possibly require further emissions reductions to 70g CO2/km or less by 2025".

Recognizing, however, the difficulties that some specialist manufacturers may have in reducing average emissions across the limited range of cars they produce, the MEPs "stress the importance of allowing particular vehicles to exceed emission limits to avoid excessive disruptions to the car market. To that end, they also propose that each manufacturer have the right "to exclude 500 identified vehicles annually from inclusion in the data used to determine average emissions".

Finally, the report proposes the introduction - in 2011 - of a "Carbon Allowance Reductions System (CARS)", a market mechanism through which carmakers would have to pay penalties for exceeding the emissions limits. Such penalties, notes the text, "may be offset by redeemable credits awarded to newly registered passenger cars" (of the same manufacturer) whose emissions fall below the limit values.

On the other hand, low emission cars - such as hydrogen, fuel cell, and plug-in vehicles - should benefit from a credit system, "which should allow each vehicle of this type introduced between now and the first year of implementation to be counted under the CO2 monitoring procedure as equivalent to, for example, forty conventional vehicles".

Lastly, MEPs recommend the EU to introduce requirements for a minimum of 20% of the space devoted to car advertising to provide information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

The European Parliament, adopted yesterday by a large majority an Environment Committee report calling for legislation to cap average emissions from all new passenger cars at 125g CO2/km as of 2015.

MEPs agreed that "average emissions from all passenger cars placed on the EU market in 2015 do not exceed 125g CO2/km". (Taking account of the automobile industry's development and production cycles, MEPs decided to move away from an earlier proposal to introduce such a cap as of 1 January 2012). At the same time, the EP backed plans to compel car makers to meet these targets by "technical means alone" - i.e..

As of 2020, reads the report, such average emissions should not exceed 95g CO2/km. Long-term targets, urge MEPs, should be determined no later than 2016: these targets "will possibly require further emissions reductions to 70g CO2/km or less by 2025".

Recognizing, however, the difficulties that some specialist manufacturers may have in reducing average emissions across the limited range of cars they produce, the MEPs "stress the importance of allowing particular vehicles to exceed emission limits to avoid excessive disruptions to the car market. To that end, they also propose that each manufacturer have the right "to exclude 500 identified vehicles annually from inclusion in the data used to determine average emissions".

Finally, the report proposes the introduction - in 2011 - of a "Carbon Allowance Reductions System (CARS)", a market mechanism through which carmakers would have to pay penalties for exceeding the emissions limits. Such penalties, notes the text, "may be offset by redeemable credits awarded to newly registered passenger cars" (of the same manufacturer) whose emissions fall below the limit values.

On the other hand, low emission cars - such as hydrogen, fuel cell, and plug-in vehicles - should benefit from a credit system, "which should allow each vehicle of this type introduced between now and the first year of implementation to be counted under the CO2 monitoring procedure as equivalent to, for example, forty conventional vehicles".

Lastly, MEPs recommend - for the purposes of comparison - to introduce requirements for the display of information "relating to the fuel economy (l/100 km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) of new cars" on vehicles and in advertising (whether TV, radio, Internet or other), all marketing and promotional literature, as well as showrooms. "A minimum of 20%" of the space devoted to such advertising, the report proposes, should provide information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

The FIA, the governing body of international motorsport, has confirmed that is has received a formal appeal from the Woking, UK based McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team against a decision taken by the race stewards at last weekend’s F1 Brazilian Grand Prix not to penalise cars from teams for irregularities in their fuel.

McLaren lodged its appeal after the Brazilian race when it was revealed the fuel samples taken from BMW Sauber cars and Williams-Toyotas were outside temperature limits and which can affect car performance.

If the McLaren appeal is upheld and the BMW Sauber and Williams cars are excluded from the result, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton could move up to fourth place and thus score enough points to win the drivers championship.

The FIA issue a statement that read, "The FIA has been informed by the Secretariat of the International Court of Appeal that they have received a Notification of Appeal from the UK National Sporting Authority (RAC MSA) on behalf of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

"The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes appeal is against the decision of the stewards of the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, made at 21.35 hrs on October 21st 2007 (document number 41), that it was inappropriate to impose a penalty on cars 9, 10, 16 and 17."

The organisers of the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix have reached a new agreement with F1 impresario Bernie Ecclestone that will extend their contract for staging the race at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo until 2014.

The new agreement, contingent on work being carried out to improve paddock facilities and the building of a new grandstand, is expected to be officially signed within the next few weeks.

The Silverstone, UK based Spyker Formula One looks set to be renamed after its purchase by a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya.

If the change is approved by the FIA the team will be renamed as Force India. Vijay Mallya said, "Having an Indian-owned Formula One team on the grid was something that was considered completely out of reach before...this reflects the new India and new ecomomic prosperity."

The Anglesey race circuit at T Croes that was officially launched this week by Wales Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones aims to be the UK’s first green motorsport facility.

The £5 million Trac Project, which received £1.4m of European Union Objective One fundinghas been designed to minimise its environmental impact.

George Meyrick, a director of Trac Môn, the circuit’s owners said, “One of the principal drivers with regards to the reconfiguration of the circuit was the need to deliver noise reduction.

“The new track configuration was designed to ensure the noisiest parts were taken out and that the new configuration guarantees delivery of agreed noise limits.”

“The circuit is a biodiversity hotspot. It incorporates the T Croes Site of Special Scientific Interest and we have taken steps to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases by being the first motor racing circuit in the UK to install a renewable energy device – a 6KW wind turbine located in the paddock.

“We aspire to become the home of UK green motorsport, and are the first circuit to commit to the UK government’s Energy Efficiency Motorsport programme.”

Dorna, the organisers of the MotoGP world motorcycle racing championship, have abandoned proposals to introduce a single tyre supplier for the series.

When the idea of a single tyre supplier was suggested at last month’s Japanese Grand Prix it met with opposition from both the Bridgestone and Michelin tyre companies which currently supply the MotoGP teams.

The UK’s Silverstone race circuit has been dropped from the provisional calendar for the 2008 World Superbike Championship.

In addition to the races at Silverstone, those at Monza, Italy and Lausitz, Germany have also been removed and have been replaced by new events Miller Motorsport Park in the USA and Portimao in Portugal.

The UK Brands Hatch and Donington Park circuits have retained their rounds of the championship. Two dates on the 15-round 2008 schedule currently remain unfilled.

A report on Monday not confirmed by the State of California’s website said the state was preparing to file a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency next week, demanding the right to set its own limits on vehicle emissions that are stricter than federal CAFE standards. The report from Reuters quoted a spokesman from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office.

California passed state laws governing vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions in 2005, and requested a waiver from federal legislation to enact them. The EPA said earlier this month that it expected to make a decision on California's request by the end of 2007. California has already sued vehicle manufacturers – unsuccessfully – for damages alleged to have been caused by their products’ greenhouse gas emissions.

In an initial response to Transport for London’s consultation on emissions-related congestion zone charges, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders has said that current proposals will neither significantly cut CO2 nor reduce congestion in the capital and that, given the complexity of the scheme, more time is needed for discussion.

The consultation began on 10 August 2007 on proposals to charge cars with band G CO2 emissions £25 to drive in the present central London Congestion Charging Zone, combined with a 100% discount for the cars with the lowest emissions.

TfL's own figures claim the plan promises a CO2 saving of up to 8,100 tonnes. That compares to total ground-based transport emissions in London of 9.7 million tonnes. In other words, the SMMT points out, the maximum benefit for the capital would be a CO2 reduction of 0.084%.

To put this in context, the SMMT notes that improvements at UK car and commercial vehicle manufacturing sites have cut CO2 from 2.14 to 1.36 million tonnes in four years, a saving of 36.5%. Average new car CO2 emissions have also come down by 12% in a decade, saving an estimated one million tonnes of CO2 each year in the UK.

The SMMT says concerns about environmental improvements come after a report on the scheme from the Centre for Economics & Business Research Ltd., ‘Green tax or white elephant?’ suggested that the proposed CO2-graduated congestion changes could encourage between 4-10,000 additional cars onto central London roads.

The CEBR report’s key conclusions are:

- Transport for London’s own assessment is that the overall social cost of the proposed ERCC is greater than its environmental benefits. They value the net annual loss to society at £9 million.

- There is a real risk that the eventual outcome may be even worse than Transport for London’s own negative overall assessment suggests. The scheme may be both damaging to the environment and costly to road users in time and money.

- Regardless of whether the scheme will help or hinder the global battle against climate change, it will cost an estimated £6½ million to set up and a further £1½-2½ million per annum in on-going additional operating and monitoring expenditure.

- The annual budget for the additional operating and monitoring expenditure of the ERCC alone is large enough to purchase offsets for 100,000 to 170,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide — which is twelve-to-twenty times the maximum carbon dioxide saving that Transport for London believe the proposals can achieve.

“The motor industry has asked the mayor for an extension to the consultation period to work with Transport for London,” said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan. “The issues are complex and TfL must be absolutely clear about the scheme's aims. Its execution must also deliver the greatest benefit both in terms of congestion and CO2 reduction and the charges to drivers must be proportionate.”

This evening, the European Parliament will debate the proposal from the EC that CO2 emissions from cars and light vehicles should be capped at an average of 130g/km from 2012. The Parliament’s Environment Committee (rapporteur Chris Davies, MEP) has proposed a tighter g/km limit applying to manufacturers with less dependence on advances in tyres and other factors.

The Committee proposes that binding annual emissions targets should be set with effect from 1 January 2009 with the objective of promoting technical improvements to vehicles in order to ensure that, by these means alone, average emissions from all passenger cars placed on the EU market from 1 January 2012 do not exceed 120g CO2/km;

It calls on the Commission to ensure that 'complementary measures' are put in place and reduce the emissions from passenger cars by an extra 10g CO2/km; and insists that from 1 January 2020 average emissions should not exceed 95g CO2/km, and believes that the EU should provide support for the necessary promotion of innovation through the Seventh Framework Programme for Research; emphasises the need for intensive promotion of research and development of zero-emission vehicles, such as electric vehicles.

The Environment Committee’s report advocates an automotive-specific carbon trading regime, while the Parliament’s Health Committee proposes enlarged statutory emissions notices in car advertising.

The debate motions can be read in full at: www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&reference=A6-2007-0343&language=EN&mode=XML