Motorsport boss Max Mosley has proposed an environmentally friendly overhaul of Formula One for 2011.
Mosley wants to align F1 and road-car technology
The FIA president wants to link F1 research and development with that of road cars to maximise the global use of "green" technologies.
A set of proposals for discussion by car manufacturers includes the use of smaller capacity turbo-charged engines using energy-storage systems.
Among other ideas are longer-lasting engines and four-wheel drive systems.
Under the proposals, the current 2.4-litre V8s would be replaced by lower-revving, 2.2-litre V6 turbocharged engines fitted with systems that recover energy created during braking and reapply it for acceleration.
The new engines would produce similar power levels to the current ones - about 900bhp.
The full proposals will be discussed next month at a meeting of the F1 Manufacturers' Advisory Commission, which includes Volkswagen and Ford as well as the road-car manufacturers in F1 - Fiat (Ferrari), Mercedes (McLaren), BMW, Renault, Toyota and Honda.
We will work closely with the manufacturers to ensure that the new environmentally relevant technologies that many of them are developing are made our priority
Among other ideas to be discussed are:
- A power boost facility to facilitate overtaking
- Engines to last five Grands Prix without being replaced - current rules demand two races
- Four-wheel drive, traction-control and stability-control systems
- Cars to use biofuels made from plants rather than fossil fuels
The idea is to accelerate the use of "green" technology in road cars; to help the manufacturers sell it to the public by using them in F1; and to save money by ensuring the sport's engineers do not pursue technologies that are not relevant to road cars.
Mosley said: "We are in active discussions with the major manufacturers to ensure that, in future, research and development relevant only to F1 will be discouraged, whereas that which has relevance to road-car development will be encouraged.
"We understand that such an approach has broad support from the competing manufacturers and we will work closely with them to ensure that, in particular, the new environmentally relevant technologies that many of them are developing are made our priority.
"While aiming to achieve these goals, we will ensure that the sporting spectacle of F1 remains the same or is even improved by the new developments."
The document covers only the power-train of F1 cars, but the BBC understands it is also looking at ways of making others areas more energy-efficient as well.
F1's car manufacturers will discuss Mosley's proposals
That could include a limit on the use of wind tunnels, which teams use to refine the aerodynamics of their cars.
These are run by leading teams 24 hours a day, seven days a week and consume enormous amounts of electricity.
The benefit of wind tunnels has come under scrutiny since overtaking has become arguably more difficult than ever in recent years.
Recent rule changes have forced teams to concentrate on airflow over the car rather than under it, leading to cars with a profusion of aerodynamic appendages to increase downforce.
Their effectiveness is seriously disrupted when one car is following another, which makes it difficult for a driver to follow a rival closely, making overtaking even harder.