The "gathering of top teams" with F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone and FIA President Jean Todt will "push on with talks over creating more spectacular and faster F1 machinery" -- potentially with 1,000bhp engines -- for the '16 and '17 seasons, according to Jonathan Noble of AUTOSPORT. Draft ideas for "changes that can be made -- both in the short and longer term -- have been prepared over recent weeks, and team bosses will be asked to evaluate what direction is best for the sport." Changes that will be considered -- potentially as early as next season -- "include making cars wider, and adding more downforce and better performing tyres." Despite an "eagerness to make changes that would attract fans at a time when F1 is questioning why audience numbers are falling, there are also concerns about the cost implications." McLaren CEO Ron Dennis said at this week's first F1 preseason test that "while an overhaul of grand prix racing was welcome; it must not serve also to escalate costs." Tighter cost control is expected to be a "major talking point at the meeting too, with the FIA having set up a research panel in recent weeks to investigate potential rule changes that could help bring budgets down" (AUTOSPORT, 2/5).
