PARIS (AFP) - Formula One has agreed a temporary halt to engine development from early 2022 until a regulatory change in 2025, the sport's organisers and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) have announced.

The regulatory change was brought forward one year from 2026 during a meeting of the F1 Commission of the FIA.

"The proposal was unanimously agreed by all teams and power unit manufacturers," they said in a press release on Thursday (Feb 10).

"As such, engine development will be frozen from the start of 2022."

This decision follows that of Honda, which powers Red Bull and AlphaTauri, to withdraw from Formula One at the end of 2021.

The two teams hope to buy the technology developed by the Japanese firm to continue using it, but it does not have the financial means to develop it in the years to come.

This freeze on development is aimed, therefore, at securing a degree of fairness in their competition with Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault.

To prepare for the change in engine regulations planned for 2025, a "high-level working group has been established" including current and potential engine manufacturers and fuel suppliers.

Several objectives have already been established including "environmental sustainability" and social and automotive relevance, and "fully sustainable fuel".

The sport also hopes to reduce costs and make itself more attractive to new engine manufacturers.