Motor sport's world body announced today it had approved the reintroduction of traction control and other electronic devices in Formula One starting from the Spanish Grand Prix in late April.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that "with the unanimous agreement of the competing teams", the World Motor Sport Council had approved a list of changes to Formula One's technical and sporting regulations.
"A number of engine control parameters will no longer be restricted," the statement said."These include throttle, ignition and fuel settings, this permitting the use of a traction control system."
Traction control and other electronic "driver aids" have been banned in Formula One since the end of the 1993 season amid concern that individual driver flair was being reduced by the technical advances.
However, the FIA has found the ban impossible to police effectively and FIA president Max Mosley claimed last year at least one team had cheated in 1999.
The new season starts in Australia on March 4th.