Williams, Force India, played hard in F1 talks
An FIA statement said negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone and the 13 teams for 2010 are complete, with the tripartite contract only now needing the rubber-stamp of the World Motor Sport Council.
"Subject to the approval of the WMSC and on receipt of confirmation that a satisfactory cost-reduction agreement is in place, the new Concorde Agreement should be ready for signature at the end of next week," it read.
It had been rumored that the matter would be resolved shortly after the recent German grand prix, but Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that non-FOTA members Williams and Force India have been pushing hard on a number of issues.
For example, the two teams reportedly wanted unanimity – rather than majority rule – to be necessity for team votes, and external financial auditors to keep tabs on the teams' pledges to reduce costs.
Rules previously in dispute have now been agreed: the minimum weight limit is increasing from 605 to 620kg, and fuel pitstops have definitely been banned.
KERS remains in the official rules, although FOTA teams have agreed not to fit the hybrid technology next year. Theoretically, the non-FOTA teams Williams and Force India could legally use KERS systems in 2010.