LONDON - Formula One could return to a golden age of slip-streaming and wheel-to-wheel racing under a radical change to the technical regulations being mooted by the sport's rulers.

LONDON - Formula One could return to a golden age of slip-streaming and wheel-to-wheel racing under a radical change to the technical regulations being mooted by the sport's rulers.

International Automobile Federation president Max Mosley, in a letter to Formula One Teams Association chairman Luca di Montezemolo made available to Reuters yesterday, said the current lack of overtaking remained cause for concern.

"We intend to seek Fota's help to investigate the use of moveable aerodynamic devices," wrote the Briton in a discussion of ways to cut costs and improve the sport.

"If sufficiently radical, these could give a car following another car a performance advantage by virtue of being behind.

"In a primitive way, this was the case in the 1960s when a car would get a 'tow' and lose lift and thus be faster in the wake of another car. The result was wheel-to-wheel racing at the so-called slip-streaming circuits, for example pre-chicane Monza.

"Using modern technology, moveable aero devices could be used to give a car more downforce and less drag whenever it was in turbulent air," added Mosley. "It would, however, require significant [possibly automatic] moveable aero devices." - Reuters