Changes to the 2011 Formula One Sporting Regulations

The 2011 Formula One Sporting Regulations

This year there is a large focus on the new Formula One Technical Regulations with adjustable rear wings controversially entering the sport, and KERS making its return. However, a lot of changes have also been made to the Sporting Regulations and some have not received widespread attention.

For example, did you know that a new rule tells drivers how fast they should start the warm up lap, whilst another confirms what teams must display when releasing their car from a pitstop?

Here is the full description of Sporting Regulation changes made by the FIA heading into 2011.

ARTICLE 16 – INCIDENTS

Stewards have been given the authority to issue new penalties to drivers in 2011. In addition to a drive-through penalty, a ten second time penalty, and “a drop of any number of grid positions at the driver’s next event”, stewards can now also impose a time penalty, a reprimand, exclusion from the results, or suspension from the driver’s next event.

ARTICLE 20 – DRIVING

Article 20 of the Sporting Regulations has always been short and used to simply read “The driver must drive the car alone and unaided.” This article now includes the new sections below in an attempt to clarify driving standards that used to be open to interpretation.

“20.2 Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as more than one change of direction to defend a position, deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are not permitted.

20.3 Drivers must use the track at all times. For the avoidance of doubt the white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not. A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track. Should a car leave the track for any reason the driver may rejoin. However, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any advantage.

20.4 As soon as a car is caught by another car which is about to lap it during the race the driver must allow the faster driver past at the first available opportunity. If the driver who has been caught does not allow the faster driver past, waved blue flags will be shown to indicate that he must allow the following driver to overtake. Any driver who is deemed to be ignoring the waved blue flags will be reported to the stewards of the meeting.”

ARTICLE 23 – PITLANE

An interesting addition to the pitlane regulations states the “fast lane” in the pits “may be no more than 3.5 metres wide”. It’s something that circuit owners will have to take note of.

Another new addition has been made regarding cars that queue in the pitlane before a session is about to start. It reads “Any car(s) driven to the end of the pit lane prior to the start or re-start of a practice session, or any car(s) required to stop at the pit exit during a safety car period, must form up in a line in the fast lane and leave in the order they got there unless another car is unduly delayed.”

In 2010, the section of Article 23 that governed the safe release of a car from a pit stop stated “It is the responsibility of the competitor to release his car after a pit stop only when it is safe to do so”. This year, this section also includes a line confirming that “The competitor must also provide a means of clearly establishing, when being viewed from the front of the car, when that car was released.” This doesn't appear to rule out the modern light gantries used by some teams, but it does mean that stewards must be given full visibility when that light system is activated.

The final change to the pitlane regulations in 2011 is a completely new rule stating “Under exceptional circumstances the race director may ask for the pit entry to be closed during the race for safety reasons. At such times drivers may only enter the pit lane in order for essential and entirely evident repairs to be carried out to the car.”

ARTICLE 25 – SUPPLY OF TYRES

The tyre regulations have been changed in 2011 to accommodate Pirelli’s return to F1, and the extra sets of tyres that will be made available to drivers during practice sessions. In addition to those alterations, a new regulation now clarifies that “Tyres will only be deemed to have been used once the car’s timing transponder has shown that it has left the pit lane.”

In 2010, the rule that forced drivers to use both available tyre compounds during a race stated “Unless he has used intermediate or wet-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least one set of each specification of dry-weather tyres during the race.” In 2011 this is more detailed and confirms “If the race is suspended and cannot be re-started, thirty seconds will be added to the elapsed time of any driver who was unable to use both specifications of dry-weather tyre during the race. However, any driver who completes the race without using both specifications of dry-weather tyre will be excluded from the race results.”

ARTICLE 26 – WEIGHING

The FIA’s procedure for weighing cars during qualifying is covered in Article 26, and part of it used to read “cars will be selected at random to undergo the weighing procedure”. After a minor clarification this now states “Cars taking part in Q1 and Q2 will be selected at random to undergo the weighing procedure”.

As part of the above change, Article 26 now includes a new section that confirms “At the end of the qualifying session all cars which took part in Q3 will be weighed. If a driver wishes to leave his car before it is weighed he must ask the technical delegate to weigh him in order that this weight may be added to that of the car.”

ARTICLE 28 – GEARBOXES

In 2011, drivers must use the same gearbox for five race weekends instead of four and this impacts some of the sections in Article 28. For example, teams must inform the FIA which ratios they intend to use two hours after the end of FP2, but in 2011 “one additional change of ratios and dog rings will be permitted if a gearbox change is necessary on the first day of practice before the end of P2.”

Last year, teams were allowed to change a gearbox after any Grand Prix if their driver retired from the race. In 2011, gearbox changes will also be allowed when the team’s driver “is unable to start the race for reasons other than a penalty imposed by the stewards.”

Another new addition to the gearbox regulations is similar to the 2010 regulations that covered engine usage. It reads “For 2011 only, except during the last Event of the Championship season, each driver will be permitted to use a replacement gearbox without incurring a penalty the first time this becomes necessary during the season. Under such circumstances the replacement gearbox will only be required to complete the remainder of the Event in question.”

ARTICLE 30 – GENERAL SAFETY

During each Grand Prix weekend, the FIA sets a maximum laptime that drivers must not exceed when leaving or returning to the pits. This ensures they do not drive at a dangerously low speed. In 2011, the Sporting Regulations confirm how the maximum time will be calculated by stating “The time will normally be based upon 145% of the best dry P1 or P2 time.”

2011 also sees the introduction of a mechanics curfew for the first time. The rules regarding this states “No team personnel who are associated in any way with the operation of the cars are permitted within the confines of the circuit during two six hour periods which commence ten hours before the scheduled start times of P1 and P3. However, each team will be permitted four individual exceptions to the above during a Championship season.”

ARTICLE 34 – POST QUALIFYING PARC FERME

In addition to wheels, the Sporting Regulations now confirm that “wheel fasteners” may be removed in 2011 under Parc Ferme conditions. It would seem this is to clarify what is already happening.

If the FIA declares a “change in climatic conditions” teams are allowed to adjust the brake and radiator ducts between qualifying and the race. In 2011 a minor addition states that, under these circumstances, “pitot tubes may be covered or uncovered.”

ARTICLE 35 – MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

Previously, drivers had to be available to sign autographs in their own garage area on the first day of practice, but they will have less flexibility in 2011 as new rule states “On a day suitable to the promoter’s schedule all drivers must be available for autograph signing. The time, place and procedure will be communicated to the teams by the FIA after agreement with the promoter and the Commercial Rights Holder.”

ARTICLE 36 – THE GRID

The infamous 107% rule returns in 2011 to ensure cars at the back of the grid are not too far off the pace. It reads “During Q1, any driver whose best qualifying lap exceeds 107% of the fastest time set during that session will not be allowed to take part in the race. Under exceptional circumstances however, which may include setting a suitable lap time in a free practice session, the stewards may permit the car to start the race. Should there be more than one driver accepted in this manner, the grid order will be determined by the stewards. In either case, a competitor will not be able to appeal against the stewards decision.”

ARTICLE 38 – STARTING PROCEDURE

There is a new addition to the rules regarding the warm up lap that states “When leaving the grid all drivers must respect the pit lane speed limit until they pass pole position.” This rule is far more specific than it was in 2010 when drivers were simply told to leave the grid “at a greatly reduced speed”. I would not be surprised if this is broken at some point early in the season so it will be interesting to see if it results in any penalties. I suspect a reprimand would be more fitting.

ARTICLE 40 – SAFETY CAR

Previously when the race started behind a Safety Car, and a driver stalled on the grid, he was allowed to join the back of the field when he got going again. This is no longer the case. In 2011 “Any driver delayed in this way, and who is unable to re-establish the original starting order before he reaches the first safety car line, must enter the pit lane and may only join (or rejoin) the race once the whole field has passed the end of the pit lane.”

Posted by Martin Porter. - Follow him on twitter @mpondaweb.

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