Britain's BBC Sport reports that Formula 1 is set to adopt a radically different engine formula for the 2013 World Championship, even though the sport's commercial manager Bernie Ecclestone as well as several F1 manufacturers oppose it.
According to the BBC, the F1 Commission and the FIA's World Motor Sport Council will formally approve in the next few days a shift away from the current normally aspirated V8s to energy recovery-boosted 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engines, to be power-limited by fuel restrictions. It quoted an FIA spokesman as saying an announcement on the new rules package is expected next Friday.
Ecclestone told the BBC he opposed the move for both financial and entertainment reasons.
"We have a very good engine formula. Why should we change it to something that is going to cost millions and that nobody wants and that could end up with one manufacturer getting a big advantage?" he said.