The FIA World Motor Sport Council met overnight, along with Bernie Ecclestone and the F1 Strategy Group. The outcome of that shindig is a series of changes for both the 2014 and 2015 F1 seasons.
For 2014:
- The Stewards may now impose a five second time penalty which can be taken before work is carried out on the car in a pit stop
- Team personnel must also wear helmets during qualifying, as well as the race
- Drivers may not stop on the slowing down lap to save fuel for sampling and subsequent analysis; this will not be considered justifiable reason for stopping
- For 2014 only, each team will be allowed six curfew ‘jokers’, previously there were two permitted. This is to allow more flexibility for working on the new engines and cars
- The weight of the car, without fuel, must not be less than 691kg at all times during the Event. The weight limit has increased by 1kg to take into account the difference in weight between the tyres in 2013 and 2014
For 2015:
- To be considered as a constructor, teams will now not need to design and manufacture suspension and brake ducts
- The car minimum weight has been increased by 10kg, to 701kg, for 2015
- All tyre heating devices will be prohibited in 2015
- For safety reasons, the front part of the chassis will not be able to climb too steeply rearward of the front of the chassis
There’s nothing too radical in the amendments to the 2014 regs, although the banning of drivers stopping on the cool down lap to preserve fuel for sampling purposes will place further demands on teams who have to make do with just 100kg of fuel in 2014, compared with 160kg last year.
The changes for 2015 are a little more significant, especially the freedom for teams to buy off-the-shelf suspension components and brake ducts. A ban on tyre blankets will at least tell us once and for all how effective they really are.
In addition to these approved changes a draft set of “cost reduction and cost control regulations” will be presented to the WMSC in June with a view to having effect for the 2015 season.
[Pic: Ferrari]
One reply on “FIA WMSC bans tyre blankets from 2015 and more”
Are they going to ban those leaf blowers they use as well to put in the air vents? Always amuse me, they look like a $80 leaf blower you can buy from bunnings, but they probably cost $10k or something ridiculous because its “F1”