FIA, GPMA agree new cut-off for engine freeze.

Motorsport's governing body, the FIA, and the F1 manufacturers' association, the GPMA, appear to have reached a consensus over when the proposed 'engine freeze' should come into effect.

With the GPMA unhappy with the originally stated date of late June, and the governing body trying to avoid the car giants from continuing to develop their engines through 2007 only to revert to 2006-spec units for 2008, talks have been ongoing to find a compromise solution.

Following a meeting earlier today [Monday] between the GPMA's Burkhard Goeschel and Jurgen Reul and FIA president Max Mosley, a revised cut-off of October's Chinese Grand Prix has been agreed, with the compromise that the engine freeze will be brought forward to also include the 2007 campaign.

"This means that no further developments of the engines will be allowed, other than retuning for the 19,000rpm limit, to be agreed in each case with the FIA under the terms of the 2008 Formula One Sporting Regulations," a statement issued by the governing body explained.

The missive also revealed that another of Mosley's initiatives - the introduction of 'green' technology in future seasons - would be incorporated into the 2009 rulebook.

"From 2009, the Formula One technical regulations will include means to promote fuel efficiency, including energy recovery and re-use," the statement confirmed, "The GPMA has set up a working group to examine possible future rules for Formula One which will allow a performance advantage to be obtained by means of more efficient use of available energy. These future regulations may include changes to current power units. The FIA and other engine suppliers will join this group."

The governing body confirmed that 'all relevant regulations for 2009' would be published no later than 31 December this year, but insisted that the two parties, so often at each other's throat over the regulations, were now 'in full agreement about the future of the FIA Formula One World Championship'.