F1 Strategy Group's latest line of proposals revealed

After a meeting at Biggin Hill today, the F1 Strategy Group have revealed some of the proposed plans for the future of the sport.

The Strategy Group has been under fire recently, having been labelled as "useless" by some with needless and downright awful changes. However, this meeting has brought about some positivity.

A change in the engine penalty system was one of the top agendas after teams claimed the current system of handing out race penalties for unserved grid penalty places was too harsh and confused the fans.

Now the worst it can get for a driver is that they start from the back, essentially going back to the system we had before. It's safe to say that the system of race penalties we have at the moment just beats a drivers whilst they're down.

This will be of huge benefit to McLaren and the majority of Renault-powered teams. But Honda will also seek salvation in a free fifth engine, which will now be given to any new supplier for their first year so as to ease them into the highly complicated designs of the hybrid systems.

One of the largest changes the Strategy Group proposed was a clampdown on driver aids. Further resteictions on team radio conversations are being looked at, and the enforcing of manual starts.

An FIA statement said: "Increased restrictions on driver aids and coaching received unanimous support and will be rapidly implemented, starting from this year's Belgian Grand Prix – with a particular emphasis on race starts – and in 2016.

"These measures will bring back the driver in full control of the car, enhancing races excitement and unpredictability."

I am 100% backing this change. We want to see the best drivers doing the best jobs, and making starts manual adds another element to the whole race, as opposed to the consistent clutch bite point finds and letting the electronics do it all for you.

A revised qualifying and race format is also being discussed, with the idea that a shorter race could be held on Saturday. However this is one I cannot get on board with. I think the current qualifying/race system is the best the sport has seen, and is certainly not in need of being altered.

The idea that teams will pick what tyre compound they would like to run was also on the agenda. Comversations are being had with Pirelli to discuss the best way to implement this rule.

However the teams will not be afraid to risk a bit more with a softer compound when it has the potential to be dangerous. I envisage an incident similar to the numerous tyre failures at the 2013 British Grand Prix, which would then lead to the FIA not allowing certain tyre compounds at particular circuits, by whicb point you may as well have the current system, which works well.

This is an idea that the Grand Prix Driver Association's fan survey revealed the fans were in favour of, as well as refuelling which will encourage the Strategy Group to push forward these ideas even more.

But I think the racing has improved brilliantly since the banning of refuelling in 2010, and the idea would not work with the current quick-wearing tyres Pirelli currently supply.

The Strategy Group has still not yet given up on making the show louder. The latest suggestion to to have a wastegate in the engine to increase the volume of the engines.

Talks of a review of the token system for engine development, as well as increasing the fuel allowance are also underway.

It is only as the most fuel hungry circuits, such as Bahrain and Canada, where fuel useage is on the limit, but increasing the fuel allowance would go towards making the cars quicker during the races and to ensure the drivers are pushing more throughout the race.

It's nice to see the Strategy Group making productive proposals, but there is no denying F1 still has a long way to go to dig its way out of the hole it finds itself in at the moment.

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