FIA closes loophole over Formula One engine use

Motor sport's ruling body (FIA) has closed a loophole in new regulations governing the use of engines in Formula One after BAR retired their cars towards the end of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The regulations say engines must last for two successive races with any unscheduled changes incurring a 10-place penalty on the starting grid. However, the penalty does not apply to cars that fail to finish the race.

In a statement yesterday, FIA said the team of any driver who failed to finish the first of the engine's two races would have to explain the circumstances to race stewards.

"As a result of what happened on the last lap of the race in Melbourne a distinction will now be made between failing to finish and choosing not to finish, the former is normally accidental or beyond the control of the driver while the latter is not," the FIA statement said.

BAR retired their cars towards the end of the Australian Grand Prix to enable drivers Jenson Button and Takuma Sato to have new engines for Malaysia without penalty.

Toyota scorn Honda

On Tuesday, Toyota criticised Honda-powered rivals BAR for their manipulation of engine rules.

"There has been a lot of controversy surrounding loopholes in the new engine rules, but exploitation of such grey areas is against our understanding of racing," said Toyota's engine expert Luca Marmorini.

"Even though our drivers did not score any points in the last race, we decided to pass the chequered flag out of respect for the new rules," he added.

"We fully accept the spirit and intention of the 2005 engine regulation and we believe that if we are to challenge for points regularly, we must finish the race and that means having an engine to last two races."

Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher finished ninth and 12th respectively in Australia.