A meeting of the Formula 1 Commission has seen support for further changes to the sprint format to separate it from the rest of a grand prix weekend. The current schedule sees qualifying for the main race take place on Friday night after one FP1 …
A meeting of the Formula 1 Commission has seen support for further changes to the sprint format to separate it from the rest of a grand prix weekend.
The current schedule sees qualifying for the main race take place on Friday night after one FP1 session, and then the sprint shootout and sprint on Saturday before the grand prix on Sunday. Drivers and teams feel that schedule locks them into parc ferme regulations too soon, and it has been agreed that the format needs revising.
While no firm changes were outlined, discussions are set to take place in January over potential ideas such as moving the sprint shootout to Friday evening and the sprint then taking place before the main qualifying session on a Saturday, although a reverse grid for the sprint could also be looked into following support from a number of drivers.
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The F1 Commission meeting also resulted in a ban on tire blankets — already pushed back by one year — scrapped for 2025, while the current tire allocations of 13 dry sets per weekend will also remain in place. Teams also agreed that they are not going to be allowed to do any development work on a car for the 2026 season before the start of 2025.
The technical regulations are going to be updated to permit teams to run a scoop to increase driver cooling, in response to the conditions seen in the Qatar Grand Prix earlier this year.
Further updates regarding the development of a wet weather package were also provided, with a wheel cover to reduce spray set to be tested in early 2024. The test “will use a cover design that completely envelopes the tire, in order to establish a proof of concept for the wheel cover with these cars and help define the future direction of the project.”
Formula 1 teams have agreed to delay the potential introduction of a ban on tire blankets by at least a year, while also wanting further investigations into power unit equalization. Pirelli has been conducting testing to introduce slick tires in …
Formula 1 teams have agreed to delay the potential introduction of a ban on tire blankets by at least a year, while also wanting further investigations into power unit equalization.
Pirelli has been conducting testing to introduce slick tires in 2024 that would not use tire blankets, having already managed to make the step with wet tires. However, with some drivers opposed to the change — mainly driven by sustainability reasons to reduce energy consumption when heating tires — a meeting of the F1 Commission led to the decision to keep blankets next year and continue with testing to try and make the change in 2025.
That was one of many items pushed back as a result of the meeting, with some teams sympathizing with what has been described as a “notable” power unit deficit for Alpine but requesting further analysis through the Power Unit Advisory Committee to remedy it.
The topic of capital expenditure was also discussed in order to try and close inherent discrepancies between teams with different levels of facilities, with the Financial Advisory Committee tasked with continuing to look into it.
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Following the chaotic end to the Australian Grand Prix, the idea of a fixed point where all restarts would be a rolling resumption rather than a standing start was discussed, but no agreement was reached. For now it will remain up to the race director to assess what is the best course of action for resuming a race.
Looking ahead to 2026, an update was provided regarding the next set of technical regulations, with the FIA stating: “Significant progress has been made on this project that is ongoing, and the FIA is currently analyzing the most effective ways to achieve a significant reduction in the size and weight of the cars, as well as improving the energy management.”
One confirmed item from the meeting was that pre-season testing’s dates for 2024 have been set for Feb. 21-23 in Bahrain.
The ACO has confirmed that tire warmers are set to be re-introduced to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month, under a single-race exemption. According to the ACO, this decision has been made to ensure that …
The ACO has confirmed that tire warmers are set to be re-introduced to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month, under a single-race exemption.
According to the ACO, this decision has been made to ensure that “drivers of all experience levels will be able to compete in the safest possible environment regardless of track conditions and temperatures.”
It will also give “tire manufacturers, teams and drivers will gain valuable time to develop a better understanding of how to bring cold tires up to temperature ahead of the remainder of the 2023 FIA WEC season.”
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The return of tire warmers will apply to all three classes, with the warming ovens set to be powered by 100% sustainable fuel from the series’ exclusive supplier TotalEnergies.
This decision comes after several significant incidents impacted the 6 Hours of Spa weekend, caused by cars struggling on cold tires in the changeable conditions.
The new-for-2023 policy was originally introduced to reduce the FIA WEC’s environmental impact as part of a long-term tire “road map” after months of discussions with the series’ tire manufacturers, Michelin and Goodyear. However, the incidents for front-running Hypecars in Spa involving Brendon Hartley (Toyota) in qualifying at Raidillon and Antonio Fuoco (Ferrari) on the way down to Eau Rouge during the race, put the issue in the spotlight.
The reaction to the incidents included an openly critical statement after the race from Antonello Coletta, the head of Attiva Sportive GT.
“Starting from the assumption that the rules are the same for everyone and that we abide by them, I think we need to reflect on the ban on tire warmers,” he said. “It’s a common opinion in the paddock and among professionals, not to mention the drivers, that this situation has become dangerous. At Spa, there have been many accidents and extreme episodes due to cold temperatures and changeable weather, and it’s time to do some serious thinking on the matter because it has major ramifications for safety.
“We are on the eve of a decisive race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans where, overnight, temperatures are low and speeds very high. It’s not just an issue for us. The accidents involved different cars, from different classes, driven at the time by both professional and gentleman drivers, and this situation had already been predicted some time ago.”
RACER understands that Ferrari was the only manufacturer openly lobbying for this change.
Ferrari Attiva Sportive GT boss Antonello Coletta and Giuliano Salvi, the Ferrari GT & Sports Race Cars race and testing manager, have both spoken out on the FIA World Endurance Championship’s decision to ban tire warmers for this season, following …
Ferrari Attiva Sportive GT boss Antonello Coletta and Giuliano Salvi, the Ferrari GT & Sports Race Cars race and testing manager, have both spoken out on the FIA World Endurance Championship’s decision to ban tire warmers for this season, following the incident-packed race week at Spa.
The rule change, which was made to reduce the environmental impact the FIA WEC has during race meetings, has been a key topic of discussion since the first round of the season. However, throughout the meeting Spa, which was held in significantly colder temperatures than the events in Sebring and Portimao, the debate came more into focus as teams and drivers began to question whether or not it is a safety issue that needs further thought.
The track action in Belgium was heavily impacted by multiple incidents throughout the meeting, caused specifically by drivers struggling to heat up their stone-cold tires. This included two accidents for front-running Hypercar factory drivers, Toyota’s Brendon Hartley and Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco, both of whom were passengers in their respective cars as they veered off the notoriously unforgiving Spa circuit.
For Hartley, the off at Raidillon in qualifying meant he and his teammates in the No. 8 GR010 HYBRID were forced to start at the very back of the grid. Not only did the team have to deal with the consequences of not setting a time, it further disrupted the team’s race strategy as it also lost a set of tyres that were needed for the race.
A day later, Fuoco’s accident in the No. 50 Ferrari 499P during the race was more damaging still. The Italian, driving in a straight line out of the pits, was sent careening into the guardrail on the run down to Eau Rouge after the car snapped sideways. The retirement for the No. 50 came after an earlier moment at in the race, when Miguel Molina suffered major understeer at pit out, narrowly avoiding the concrete divider between the pit lane and the exit of La Source. Thankfully the Spaniard missed it, but he was later penalised for crossing the pit exit white line.
“This (Fuoco’s) kind of incident comes from regulations without blankets. We saw the same with Toyota. We saw a lot of crashes. We said many times Spa could be tricky, but it’s the same for everybody. Fortunately, nobody was injured,” Salvi told the media in a post-race technical briefing.
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Coletta expanded on Salvi’s thoughts later in the evening with a post-race statement which was openly critical of the new regulation, describing it as “dangerous.”
“Starting from the assumption that the rules are the same for everyone and that we abide by them, I think we need to reflect on the ban on tire warmers,” he said. “It’s a common opinion in the paddock and among professionals, not to mention the drivers, that this situation has become dangerous. At Spa, there have been many accidents and extreme episodes due to cold temperatures and changeable weather, and it’s time to do some serious thinking on the matter because it has major ramifications for safety.
“We are on the eve of a decisive race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans where, overnight, temperatures are low and speeds very high. It’s not just an issue for us. The accidents involved different cars, from different classes, driven at the time by both professional and gentleman drivers, and this situation had already been predicted some time ago.”
Both Ferrarin and Toyota had issues on cold tires at Spa. Motorsport Images
It’s not just members of the Ferrari team that have been vocal on this issue since yesterday’s race. Toyota driver Mike Conway, who went on to win the 6 Hours of Spa in the No. 7 GR010 HYBRID, told RACER he would welcome the return of tire warmers.
“Yeah,” he said when asked directly if it was time for a change. “There are some people pushing for it. We saw Brendon yesterday in qualifying. When you leave the pits you are on ice and (just) surviving.”
However, Conway questions whether such a change in regulations would be smart, or even feasible ahead of Le Mans, which is just weeks away.
“I wouldn’t be against it, but I don’t know if they can do such a big change going into Le Mans,” he continued. “Does everyone have the capacity to do it?
“We also don’t know what effect it will have on the tires by warming them a bit quicker. Maybe something could be done? It could avoid these incidents. In colder temperatures, on a high-energy track like here, you’re forced into a situation where you have got to take a tire that’s a bit harder and harder to warm up.
“Yes,” he said when asked by RACER if he was worried about Le Mans. “Not so much at the exit of pit lane, but when you come down that hill (after the Dunlop Bridge), I know already what it’s going to feel like.”
While rule makers have repeatedly stated that there is no intention to change or even review this new policy, on-track incidents and now public reaction from key partners in the championship inevitably add pressure to look again at the initial problem, the chosen solution, and any available alternatives.
