Formula One agrees rule changes to address safety and racing concerns
Energy management parameters will be adjusted from the Miami Grand Prix following driver complaints about high-speed cornering and battery recharge requirements.
Formula One agrees rule changes to address safety and racing concerns
Energy management parameters will be adjusted from the Miami Grand Prix following driver complaints about high-speed cornering and battery recharge requirements.
Formula One teams and stakeholders agreed unanimously on Monday to rule changes aimed at improving racing and driver safety, with implementation scheduled for the Miami Grand Prix on May 323. The modifications follow complaints from drivers over the first three races about the sport's new power units, which split power roughly 50-50 between electric and combustion sources234.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that an online meeting with the 11 team bosses, power unit chief executives and Formula One had agreed to several in-season refinements that would be put to a virtual vote23. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said on Sunday that drivers had provided "invaluable input on adjustments which they feel should be made, particularly in the areas of energy management to ensure safe, fair and competitive racing"1.
Drivers had complained about having to "lift and coast" into high-speed corners so the combustion engine could recharge the battery, raising safety concerns23. They also had to contend with "super-clipping", where the power unit automatically diverts energy from the engine to the battery, slowing the car even when the driver is flat on the throttle23. Haas driver Oliver Bearman had a major crash at the Japan Grand Prix on March 29 because of differing closing speeds4.
The FIA said energy management parameters would be adjusted for qualifying, with a reduction in maximum permitted recharge from eight megajoules to seven to encourage more consistent flat-out driving, and peak superclip power increased from 250 kilowatts to 350 kilowatts to reduce time spent recharging23. Race start changes will be tested in Miami and adopted following feedback and analysis23. Ben Sulayem said "safety and the best interests of the sport are the main focus of the discussions"1.