The FIA published next year’s Sporting and Technical Regulations on Thursday, with a number of key changes being made.
These include the confirmation of a pole position trophy, the positioning of the now well-known permanent numbers and details on engine and gearbox penalties to name just a few. Here’s an overview of some of the new rules.
Firstly, let’s discuss the pole position trophy. The introduction of this new FIA award was reported last week and was approved after a meeting of the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission.
In simple terms, the driver with the most pole positions at the end of each season will receive the trophy. If it was currently in place, Sebastian Vettel would have won it in four of the last five races.
The Sporting Regulations also confirm that double points for the season finale will go ahead despite a negative reaction amongst fans and the current four-time champion branding the rule "absurd" in a recent interview.
Meanwhile permanent driver numbers, which will be chosen before the 2014 season and will last for the entirety of their F1 career, must be clearly visible on the driver’s car and their crash helmet.
This has also sparked a change in rule regarding the assignment of grid positions if times are not set during qualifying. In 2013 they were ordered by their grid number but from 2014 onwards they will line up in the order from the previous session, such as Q1 or FP3.
The rule regarding drivers overtaking off track has also been edited. The statement says: "Should a car leave the track the driver may re-join, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any lasting advantage. At the absolute discretion of the race director a driver may be given the opportunity to give back the whole of any advantage he gained by leaving the track."
Meanwhile a sole tyre supplier – which will obviously be Pirelli – has been chosen by the FIA for 2014, 2015 and 2016. Each driver will be allocated one extra set of prime compound tyres which must be used during the first 30 minutes of first practice, and must be returned to the tyre supplier before the afternoon session.
Meanwhile up to four drivers will be able to drive in the first session, rather than two, which opens up the option of running a test or reserve driver, who must have their own number instead of using the one from the race driver, in the first part of practice. Talking of practice, the interval between the first the third session must never be less than 24 hours.
In season testing will return in 2014, with teams being allowed four two-day tests on tracks that have hosted grands prix no less than 36 hours earlier. The current calendar is at 19 races but in the future for every round it rises above 20, one test will be cancelled.
There are also new testing definitions: "Testing of Current Cars (TCC), Testing of Previous Cars (TPC), Testing of Historic Cars (THC) and Promotional Events (PE)."
Pirelli will also have access to each team’s car at one of each of their eight in-season test days. The tyre supplier will define the schedule and it must be a dedicated tyre test. One day will also be put aside for wet weather tyre testing.
The FIA has also become stricter on what teams can do during the 14 day summer shutdown, stating that use of the wind tunnel, computer resources for CFD, production or development of wind tunnel parts, sub-assembly of car parts and development or production work is not allowed.
There will also be changes to penalties. Drivers will be given penalty points which will go on their race license. If they reach 12 points in 12 months, they will get a one race ban. After that the points will be wiped off the license, or if a driver does not reach points limit, they will be wiped off 12 months after the first one was applied.
If a driver misses the FIA weight bridge but returns without delay and without changes, they will be handed a reprimand. If the car isn’t brought back or has been worked on, drivers will have to start from the pit lane.
Drivers who are unsafely released in the pit lane during practice or qualifying will be handed a grid drop for Sunday’s race, with the stewards deciding the severity of the penalty. If it happens during the race, they will be given a 10-place grid penalty for the next event.
There will be fewer gearboxes and power-units in 2014. Drivers will have to use the same gearbox for six consecutive races, an increase from this year’s five, and he will receive a five-place grid drop if it needs changing. However, for next season only teams will be able to change gear and dog rings without having to provide evidence of physical damage.
The new V6 Turbo power-units will need to be used for five races next year, instead of this season’s four; however these are not for consecutive. Drivers will be able to swap individual elements, which the FIA split into six parts: "The engine (ICE), the motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), the energy store (ES), turbocharger (TC) and control electronics (CE)."
These must be used five times, but any combination can be fitted to the car, and different penalties will be given according to the following:
Drivers will also be limited to using just 100kg of fuel during a race. Any driver exceeding the limit will be excluded. That is a simple overview of the main sporting regulation changes.
What do you think? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Sportlobster.
I will be posting a piece detailing, in simple terms, the changes to the 2014 Technical Regulations next week.
 |
| (c) Octane Photographic |
These include the confirmation of a pole position trophy, the positioning of the now well-known permanent numbers and details on engine and gearbox penalties to name just a few. Here’s an overview of some of the new rules.
Firstly, let’s discuss the pole position trophy. The introduction of this new FIA award was reported last week and was approved after a meeting of the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission.
In simple terms, the driver with the most pole positions at the end of each season will receive the trophy. If it was currently in place, Sebastian Vettel would have won it in four of the last five races.
The Sporting Regulations also confirm that double points for the season finale will go ahead despite a negative reaction amongst fans and the current four-time champion branding the rule "absurd" in a recent interview.
 |
| (c) Octane Photographic |
Meanwhile permanent driver numbers, which will be chosen before the 2014 season and will last for the entirety of their F1 career, must be clearly visible on the driver’s car and their crash helmet.
This has also sparked a change in rule regarding the assignment of grid positions if times are not set during qualifying. In 2013 they were ordered by their grid number but from 2014 onwards they will line up in the order from the previous session, such as Q1 or FP3.
The rule regarding drivers overtaking off track has also been edited. The statement says: "Should a car leave the track the driver may re-join, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any lasting advantage. At the absolute discretion of the race director a driver may be given the opportunity to give back the whole of any advantage he gained by leaving the track."
Meanwhile a sole tyre supplier – which will obviously be Pirelli – has been chosen by the FIA for 2014, 2015 and 2016. Each driver will be allocated one extra set of prime compound tyres which must be used during the first 30 minutes of first practice, and must be returned to the tyre supplier before the afternoon session.
Meanwhile up to four drivers will be able to drive in the first session, rather than two, which opens up the option of running a test or reserve driver, who must have their own number instead of using the one from the race driver, in the first part of practice. Talking of practice, the interval between the first the third session must never be less than 24 hours.
 |
| (c) Octane Photographic |
There are also new testing definitions: "Testing of Current Cars (TCC), Testing of Previous Cars (TPC), Testing of Historic Cars (THC) and Promotional Events (PE)."
Pirelli will also have access to each team’s car at one of each of their eight in-season test days. The tyre supplier will define the schedule and it must be a dedicated tyre test. One day will also be put aside for wet weather tyre testing.
The FIA has also become stricter on what teams can do during the 14 day summer shutdown, stating that use of the wind tunnel, computer resources for CFD, production or development of wind tunnel parts, sub-assembly of car parts and development or production work is not allowed.
There will also be changes to penalties. Drivers will be given penalty points which will go on their race license. If they reach 12 points in 12 months, they will get a one race ban. After that the points will be wiped off the license, or if a driver does not reach points limit, they will be wiped off 12 months after the first one was applied.
If a driver misses the FIA weight bridge but returns without delay and without changes, they will be handed a reprimand. If the car isn’t brought back or has been worked on, drivers will have to start from the pit lane.
Drivers who are unsafely released in the pit lane during practice or qualifying will be handed a grid drop for Sunday’s race, with the stewards deciding the severity of the penalty. If it happens during the race, they will be given a 10-place grid penalty for the next event.
There will be fewer gearboxes and power-units in 2014. Drivers will have to use the same gearbox for six consecutive races, an increase from this year’s five, and he will receive a five-place grid drop if it needs changing. However, for next season only teams will be able to change gear and dog rings without having to provide evidence of physical damage.
 |
| (c) Octane Photographic |
These must be used five times, but any combination can be fitted to the car, and different penalties will be given according to the following:
- Replacement of a complete power unit – The driver concerned must start the race from the pit lane.
- The first time a 6th of any of the elements is used – Ten grid place penalty.
- The first time a 6th of any of the remaining elements is used – Five grid place penalty.
- The first time a 7th of any of the elements is used – Ten grid place penalty.
- The first time a 7th of any of the remaining elements is used, and so on – Five grid place penalty.
Drivers will also be limited to using just 100kg of fuel during a race. Any driver exceeding the limit will be excluded. That is a simple overview of the main sporting regulation changes.
What do you think? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Sportlobster.
I will be posting a piece detailing, in simple terms, the changes to the 2014 Technical Regulations next week.
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