'The Michael Schumacher we see next year will be the best Michael Schumacher ever,' Ferrari boss Jean Todt said.
Ferrari announced a restructuring of their Formula One technical department on Wednesday after struggling in the first three races of a season so far dominated by Mercedes. The sport's oldest, most glamorous and successful team -- last year's runners-up -- are fifth in the championship with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc pushed into more of a midfield battle.
Six time world champion Lewis Hamilton enjoys a 30-point lead in the championship after four races and is set to equal Schumacher's seven crowns.
The measures, rubber-stamped by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council by an online vote, aim to create a more level playing field for the 10 teams and a more sustainable future.
Formula One got back on track in changed circumstances on Friday but with Mercedes bringing a familiar look to the timing sheets as six times World champion Lewis Hamilton led team mate Valtteri Bottas one-two in Austrian Grand Prix free practice. The Briton did 41 laps and lapped with a best time of one minute 04.816 seconds in a damp and overcast session, 0.356 faster than the Finn.
2016 F1 calendar to feature record 21-race campaign
Launching a scathing attack over his fellow drivers for not presenting a united front on the introduction of Halo device, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel has favoured the launch of head protection device for the 2017 Formula One season saying nothing could 'justify death'.
FIA promises probe into Macau aerial crash
"The FIA will further examine the causes of the incident in order to evaluate whether further action is necessary," it announced in a statement.
Reaction to the death of three-times Formula One champion Niki Lauda, who died on Monday at the age of 70
Vettel, who won all four of his world championships with Red Bull, has gone 16 races without a victory and made some costly errors, while Hamilton has won 14 of the last 20.
Lewis Hamilton's third Formula One world championship also serves as a reminder of how remarkable Michael Schumacher's achievements were, his former Ferrari boss Jean Todt said on Saturday.
Aggrieved McLaren boss Ron Dennis says Formula One teams must decide whether a driver is fit to race, rather than the governing body's doctors, after Fernando Alonso was barred from the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Formula One was accused of sending out a mixed message on alcohol at the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday by giving extensive publicity to drinks brands while campaigning for road safety.
Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher turned 50 on Thursday with Formula One and his fans paying tribute to the sport's most successful driver with a mixture of celebration and sorrow.
The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, it said.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Formula One will revert to its 2015 qualifying format at next week's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai and for the remainder of the season, the governing FIA said in a statement on Thursday after backing down in the face of opposition from teams.
Formula One's governing body ordered an immediate clampdown on access to the pit lane on Tuesday after a television cameraman was struck and injured by a bouncing wheel at last weekend's German Grand Prix.
Former FIA president Max Mosley has warned that Formula One risks serious difficulties unless it changes direction and cuts costs.
Formula One teams and stakeholders failed to agree a fix for the sport's failed new qualifying format at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday and agreed instead to go away and consider a compromise by next Thursday.
Formula One world champions past and present paid their respects to Jules Bianchi and mourned one of their own at the French driver's funeral on Tuesday.
Stefano Domenicali resigned as Ferrari's Formula One team principal on Monday, and the company's North America president and chief executive Marco Mattiacci was appointed as his replacement.
The financial troubles that have forced the Marussia and Caterham Formula One teams into administration emphasise the need for cost-cutting measures, the sport's governing body said on Thursday.
Lewis Hamilton looked forward to more success with Mercedes after collecting his fifth Formula One world champion's trophy at the governing FIA's gala awards on Friday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Critically injured French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi will not give up his fight for life but the situation remains desperate, his father Philippe said on Tuesday.
Luca di Montezemolo's resignation as Ferrari chairman on Wednesday severs an historic link with the company's late founder Enzo and marks the end of an era for Formula One's most successful and glamorous team.
Formula One will have a new qualifying format this season as part of changes that will help make the sport more exciting, commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Wednesday.
Formula One drivers have backed proposals to introduce a 'virtual safety car' or automatic speed limiter that would force the entire field to slow when yellow warning flags are waved.
The crash that left French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi in a critical condition with severe head injures was down to bad luck rather than poor judgement by Japanese Grand Prix race officials, a track spokesman said on Tuesday.
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