While the World Motor Sport Council’s decision regarding the case of Ferrari at the Austrian GP dominated the headlines, the WMSC also issued a couple of other news items.

As from 1st January 2003 the HANS (Head and Neck Protection System) will be made compulsory in Formula 1. The system is widely used in the USA and has been tested by several teams at some point over the past year.

The calendar for next year’s World Championship has also been published and it holds no surprises in that it consists of the same 17 events as this year. There is a slight change to the order in that the French GP returns to its traditional early July slot, ahead of the British event.

However, there appear to be no races just one week apart, which means that the popular three week gap in the middle of the summer which used to follow the back-to-back races is no more.

2003 Formula One World Championship
(note) subject to an inspection and proposals for modifications to the circuit.