Overall the changes should increase the down force provided by the cars and cut lap times by around three to five seconds depending on the track layout.

The narrow track format introduced in 1998 will be banished and two metre wide cars (up from 1.8m) last seen in 1997 will return while the front wing will be delta shaped and increased from 1.65m to 1.8m wide.

The rear wing specifications will change considerably with the height reducing by 150mm but the width will increase to a metre all of which is expected to increase down force.

There will also be changes to wing end plates, floor dimensions, rear diffuser and side pods so very little of the current aerodynamic package will carry over to the 2017 cars.

Perhaps the most obvious change will be the new tyre widths which will bring the cars closer to the early 1990s specifications prior to tyre widths reducing in 1993.

Front tyres will go up from 24.5cm to 30.5cm and the rears from 32.5cm to 40.5cm and that will definitely result in a reduction in lap times and no doubt increased fuel consumption.

In a rather confusing move, mid-race refuelling is going to be reintroduced despite the fact that it was discontinued previously due to safety considerations and the additional cost to the teams to haul the heavy and bulky equipment around the world.

The maximum weight of the car will increase to 722 kilograms from 702 and the maximum rev limit for the 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engines will be increased so that it is claimed they will now produce up to 1000 horsepower.

The Formula One commission also confirmed that “significant further progress” has been made on engine supply cost, obligation to teams without an engine supplier, performance convergence and further improvement in the much-maligned lack of engine noise.

The FIA have also confirmed that the F1 Commission intends to introduce some form of increased protection around the driver’s head with the “Halo” concept the preferred option.

Other options, such as the transparent cockpit bubble, are still under evaluation but early concerns were related to the possibility of breathing difficulties for the drivers and visibility issues.

It will be interesting to see which teams can come up with a competitive package for the new season given the limited time line.

There is also the question regarding how quickly the drivers will adapt to such significant changes.