History of Formula One regulations
Encyclopedia
The regulations governing Formula One racing have changed many times throughout the history of the sport.
Formula One
's rules and regulations are set by the sport's governing body, the FIA. The primary reasons behind rule changes have traditionally been to do with safety. As each decade has passed the FIA have made more and more changes in the regulations so that better facilities and equipment are available in the event of an accident at race meetings. These rule changes have also been aimed at eliminating dangerous practices from the sport in an effort to make it safer.
Many innovations and technological improvements have been banned over the years as a result of FIA regulation changes. The governing body have taken these actions to slow the cars down to a level where a Grand Prix car can be driven relatively safely. Without this pruning of the sport's technological advancement cars today could be capable of cornering speeds in excess of 300 km/h. The result of an accident at this speed whilst negotiating a bend in the track would almost certainly be the death of the driver.
Since 2000, the FIA has been issuing an increasing number of rule changes to limit the cost of the sport. The cost of running a team in the sport has increased dramatically in recent years and this situation has not proved sustainable. From 2009 onwards, Formula One has committed itself to dramatic reductions in expenditure.
Although Formula One races had been taking place since 1948, it was not until 1950 that the World Championship was established. Safety was almost a non issue in the first 10 years of racing and technological progress was extremely slow compared to modern standards. As a result very few regulations were changed during this period.
1950–1953 : Engine
specs set at 1500 cc maximum size for engines with a compressor
(supercharger or turbocharger) or 4500 cc for normally aspirated engines. No weight limit. Note that in 1952 and 1953, the World Drivers' Championship was run to Formula Two regulations (maximum capacity of 750 cc for engines with a compressor or 2000 cc for normally aspirated engines), but the Formula One regulations remained unchanged, and numerous non-championship Formula One races were held during this period.
1954 : Engine specs amended to allow 750 cc maximum engine size with a compressor or 2500 cc for a normally aspirated engine. No weight limit.
1958 : The use of commercial petrol became compulsory and alcohol-based racing fuels were no longer permitted.
The swinging sixties began the way the previous decade had ended for Formula One's rule book with relatively few changes made. However with the advent of a new breed of innovative and forward thinking designers like Colin Chapman
and the beginnings of drivers lobbying for safer racing conditions, the number of rule changes made began to accelerate as the decade came to a close.
1960 : Regulations unchanged from 1959 (maximum engine capacity of 750 cc for a compressed engine or 2500 cc for normally aspirated engines. No weight restrictions).
1961–1965 : Engine specs amended to a normally aspirated engine of between 1300 cc and 1500 cc, no compressors allowed, minimum weight set at 450 kg, pump fuel only, automatic starter, roll bar
required, double braking system mandatory, standardised seatbelt anchorage, fire protection for fuel tanks, fillers and breathers, FIA begin to organise safety inspections (previously done by local authorities), protective helmet
and overalls obligatory, flag signalling code established.
1966–1969 : Engine specs amended to a 1500 cc engine with a compressor or a 3000 cc normally aspirated engine allowed, minimum weight set at 500 kg, electrical circuit breaker, reverse gear, oil catch tank, a rollbar 5 cm above driver's head, two-part extinguisher system and cockpit
designed for quick evacuation all made mandatory, all aerodynamic features must be immobile (thereby banning air brakes) and fixed to a sprung part of the car, maximum bodywork height and width restrictions ban the use of dangerous high wings, recommendations made on seat harnesses, fire resistant clothing and shatter-proof visors.
The speed of Formula One cars had increased dramatically since 1950 but the standard of safety at race meetings had not followed suit. The 1970's was the last decade that Formula One raced at truly long circuits (i.e. with lap times close to or over 3 minutes); and going into the decade, Formula One still raced at the 5-mile Charade circuit
, the 8.7 mile Spa-Francorchamps
circuit and the 14.7 mile Nürburgring Nordschleife
. Although all of the aforementioned circuits were improved with safety features, by 1977 Charade, Spa and the Nürburgring were all no longer on the calendar all for the same general reason- safety concerns. Safer circuits such as Paul Ricard
, Zolder and Hockenheimring
were built with safety features installed; and at the end of the decade Formula One had become a safer sport, but it was still dangerous. Ground effect, a technology that was able to create huge amounts of downforce with inverted aerofoils mounted on the sides of the car, was discovered and developed by Colin Chapman and his Lotus team in the mid 70s, and the technology was perfected with the dominant Type 79
. All the other teams followed suit, and the performance of the cars skyrocketed over a period of 2 years. Many of the drivers felt that the danger level involved in the sport was unnecessarily high despite the changes in the rules that had been implemented by the end of the 1970s. The drivers crusade for improved safety was led in the 1970s by Jackie Stewart
. After the needless and avoidable death of Ronnie Peterson
at the Italian Grand Prix
in 1978 the sport finally made the wholesale changes needed to bring it up towards the modern standards of safety the sport enjoys today.
1970 : Engine specs amended to 1500 cc compressed engine or 3000 cc normally aspirated engine, minimum weight set at 530 kg, safety bladder fuel cell tanks introduced, report published on track standards, recommends straw bales be banned, double guard rails in place, 3 metre grass verges, spectators to be kept a minimum of 3 metres behind guard railings, barrier between pit lane and track as well as track width, surface and gradient recommendations and mandatory FIA inspections of track facilities.
1971 : Role responsibilities and mandatory equipment list set out for race supervisors, marshals and signalers, drivers must be evacuated from cockpit in less than five seconds. All race distances must be under 200 miles (320 km).
1972 : Maximum permitted size of a compressed engine increased to 1500 cc, minimum weight increased to 550 kg, safety foam in fuel tanks, no magnesium
sheeting to be less than 3 mm thick, 15w red rear light mandatory, head rest required, minimum cockpit dimensions, combined electrical cut off and extinguisher external handle required, fuel tanks to meet FIA specifications, six point harness required, circuit safety criteria set down, drivers code of conduct released.
1973 : Numbers now assigned to drivers. The #1 number is now assigned to the World Champion. Minimum weight increased to 575 kg, crushable structure around fuel tanks mandatory, no chrome plating
of suspension parts allowed, drivers required to carry medical card and submit to medical examination before they are able to race, catch fencing and rescue equipment mandatory at races, starting grid dimensions standardised, fire service regulations established.
1974 : Self sealing fuel lines mandatory, sand traps added to catch fencing as safety features at circuits, 2x2 staggered starting grid with 12 metres allowed per car.
1975 : Marshal's posts to be provided with service roads for ease of access, FIA standard set for fire resistant clothing.
1976 : Airboxes on the top of cars are banned. "Safety structures" around dashboard
and pedals
implemented. After Niki Lauda
's near-fatal accident at a nearly inaccessible point at the treacherous 14.2 mi (22.8 km) Nürburgring
in West Germany, the circuit was taken off the 1977 calendar after being on the calendar for all but 4 seasons of Formula One up to 1976.
1977 : Pedal box safety structures more adequately defined, gravel traps defined more adequately, helmets must be made to FIA approved standards.
1978 : Brabham's BT46B
'fan car' deemed illegal and banned after its first (and only) appearance of the season where it won at the Swedish Grand Prix
, bulkhead
behind driver and front roll bar defined, licence qualification criteria set for all drivers, all grid slots allocated 14 metres per car.
1979 : Medical air required to be piped into drivers helmet in the event of an accident, bigger cockpit opening, two mirrors and better fire extinguisher on board cars required, FIA appointed, professional, permanent race starter mandatory.
With the raft of safety improvements as a result of Peterson's fatal crash being implemented during the late 70s and early 80s Formula One overall became much safer despite the deaths of Patrick Depailler
in 1980 and Gilles Villeneuve
& Riccardo Paletti
in 1982. The huge amounts of downforce created by ground effect became increasingly dangerous as years went on, and aside from the fatal accidents mentioned above, a number of drivers crashed heavily enough for their careers to be brought to an end, and the technology was banned outright at the start of the 1983 season. These safety changes coupled with the much stronger carbon fibre replacing aluminium
as the material of choice for chassis construction meant there was not a single driver fatality at a race meeting for the rest of the decade. However one factor threatening to undo all this progress was the almost exponential power increases being extracted from turbocharged engines. With power output doubling in less than 10 years and figures as high as in excess of 1400 bhp being talked about by engine manufacturers, from 1986 onwards the FIA's primary goal was to rein in the turbo engines before finally banning them altogether at the end of the 1988 season.
1980 : Permanent medical facility required at all tracks, these facilities must be staffed by FIA approved medics, fast response car mandatory at all races, maximum weight for F1 car set at 575 kg.
1981 : Private entries of other makes of car disallowed. All teams entering any Formula One race must enter their own cars, but they are still allowed to purchase the engine and the gearbox from independent manufacturers. Flexible side skirts banned to reduce downforce
created by ground effect, mandatory ground clearance of 6 cm required to limit ground effect further, Lotus
twin chassis type 88
outlawed, pit lane minimum width set at 10 metres, survival cell extending to the front of the drivers feet introduced to improve driver survivability in the event of an accident, minimum weight of car set at 585 kg.
1982 : Rotary engines
, diesel engines, gas turbine engines and sarich orbital engines
all banned as part of the Concorde Agreement
, rigid skirts legalised and ride height restrictions removed as FIA admit that policing a ban is not possible whilst many teams are using hydraulic suspension systems to alter ride heights and circumvent the rules, minimum weight of car set at 580 kg.
1983 : Ground effect
outlawed completely for the beginning of the 1983 season. all cars return to a flat undertray, four wheel drive
banned along with cars with more than four wheels, minimum weight set at 540 kg.
1984 : In race refuelling outlawed, fuel tank required to be in centre of car, between driver and engine, maximum fuel capacity allowed on cars set at 220 litres per race to try and reduce the output of turbo engines, drivers required to have FIA super licence before they can compete in F1, concrete retaining walls permitted alongside guard rails.
1985 : Rear-wing size limits set in place, catch fencing banned at the end of this season. All cars now subject to a frontal crash test to be deemed race worthy.
1986 : Permanent FIA medical service inspector and medevac helicopter mandatory at race meetings, after needless death of Elio de Angelis
in testing. All F1 test sessions to be completed under full race meeting safety conditions, engine capacity 1500 cc with compressor (i.e. normally aspirated engines prohibited), maximum fuel consumption reduced to 195 litres per race.
1987 : Boost pressure capped at 4.0 bars to limit turbo power, minimum weight of cars set at 500 kg. Normally aspirated engines are permitted again, with a maximum capacity of 3500 cc and no fuel limit. Grid slots allocated 16 metres per car. FIA announce that from 1989 onwards turbos will be banned and to encourage teams to switch, two additional championships are introduced, which are open to non turbo teams only: the Jim Clark Cup for drivers, and the Colin Chapman Trophy for constructors. These one-off championships are won by Jonathan Palmer
and by Tyrrell
-Ford respectively.
1988 : Boost pressure further reduced to a maximum of 2.5 bars to limit the power output of the turbo engines in their final year, maximum fuel consumption of turbo cars reduced to 155 litres per race. In any design the drivers feet must not extend beyond the front wheel axle, static crash test of survival cell and fuel cell mandatory, minimum weight of cars increased to 540 kg.
1989 : Turbocharged engines banned completely, normally aspirated engines of 3500 cc in size and 8 to 12 cylinders the only engines permitted, fuel restrictions removed, all track side guard rails must be a minimum of 1 metre in height and the pit wall must be a minimum of 1 m 35 cm in height, all drivers subject to anti doping testing as per IOC guidelines.
Despite several near misses (particularly during the turbo era) Formula One had managed to go almost 12 whole years without a single fatality at a race meeting. The strength of the carbon fibre chassis being used and the fortunate escapes of many drivers involved in high speed accidents during this period made many people inside the sport believe that death was a thing of the past in Formula One. This attitude was made to look foolish when the FIA hastily banned virtually all of the performance enhancing electronic technology that the teams had become dependent on for the start of the 1994 season. This made many of that year's cars nervy and edgy to drive. With more horsepower than 1993 but with less in car stability some observers at the time (most notably Ayrton Senna
) stated that they believed 1994 would "be a season with lots of accidents".
Near fatal accidents to JJ Lehto (pre season), Jean Alesi
(in season testing) and Rubens Barrichello
(Friday practice at San Marino) were to both prove Senna right and be just a precursor to the deaths on successive days of Roland Ratzenberger
and the triple World Champion Brazilian at the San Marino Grand Prix
. The sweeping changes that the FIA implemented post Imola
proved to be almost as rash as the ones at the end of 1993 and nearly claimed the life of Pedro Lamy
in a testing accident. The cause of the accident was put down as rear wing failure as a result of the FIA rushing through new rules including one reducing the size of the rear diffuser which reduced the number of anchoring points the attached rear wing assembly could use.
To its credit the FIA learned from the mistakes of 1994 and much more consideration and forward thinking was put into changes made to the rules from there onwards. By the close of the decade a measure of the impact on the sport that the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix had had was that for the first time in its history, safety had become Formula One's number one concern.
1990 : Large mirrors and quick release steering wheel
made mandatory, all marshals and medical staff must practice driver extrication exercises.
1991 : Front wing narrowed from 150 cm to 140 cm. Rear overhang reduced from 60 cm to 50 cm. More stringent testing of survival cell by FIA including seat belts, fuel tanks and rollbar. Points scoring system overhauled, win now secures 10 points and all results to count instead of best 11 scores.
1992 : Yet more exhaustive testing of survival cell including rear impact testing, height of kerbing lowered, minimum width of pit lane increased to 12 metres, pit lane entry chicane mandatory, safety car introduced.
1993 : Rear tyre
width reduced from 18 inches to 15 inches to reduce the grip and so the speed of the cars, overall car width reduced to 200cm. Rear wing height reduced from 100 cm to 90 cm, distance of front end plates from flat bottom increased from 25 mm to 40 mm, head rest area increased from 80cm2 to 400cm2. CVT
(continuously variable transmission) banned before ever appearing at a race. End of race crowd control measures implemented, 50 km/h speed lane restriction during free practice. Fuel used restricted to that available to the general public.
1994 : Ban on electronic driver aids such as active suspension
, traction control
, launch control
, ABS
, 4 wheel steering at the beginning of the season, mid race refueling allowed for the first time since 1983, post Imola
sweeping changes introduced to slow cars down, starting from the Monaco race onwards a pit-lane speed limit is put in place; between the Spanish Grand Prix
and the German Grand Prix
additional changes are phased in and include a reduction in the height of the rear wing of 10 cm, an increase in the height of the front wing, no front wing trailing assemblies to extend behind front wheel, a 10 mm wooden plank fitted to the under tray (permitted to be worn by no more than 1 mm by the race end), a ban on high rear wing assemblies extending ahead of the rear axle line to sidestep the wing height restrictions, depressurising the engine airbox
to reduce power, minimum headrest thickness of 75 mm introduced, more stringent fire extinguisher regulations and driver helmet criteria implemented,a pit lane speed restriction of 80 km/h in practice and 120 km/h in race conditions introduced, also for first two rounds the parade lap
was to be completed behind safety car
(abandoned from Imola onwards), pit spectator area to be fire shielded, 27 corners identified as very high risk and as a result changes to circuit layouts implemented to remove or modify these parts of the track. After Imola pit-lane speed limit is implemented.
1995 : A reduction in engine capacity from 3500 cc to 3000 cc to further slow cars, longer cockpit openings to reduce chance of drivers head hitting it in the event of an accident, survival cell side impact tests introduced, obligatory automatic neutral selection when engine stops, increase in length chassis must extend beyond drivers feet from 15 cm to 30 cm, frontal impact test speed increased from 11 m/s to 12 m/s, kerbs made smoother, pit wall debris shield installed, 3 inch safety straps mandatory, super licence criteria and fuel restrictions made more stringent (i.e. special racing fuels - previously an exotic mixture of benzenes and toluenes, are banned; only those with similar characteristics to everyday unleaded petrol are permitted).
1996 : Increased cockpit protection around the driver's head. Front wing end plates to be no more than 10 mm thick to reduce damage to tyres of another car in the event of collision, all harness release levers must point downwards, to qualify for a race all cars must now be within 107% of pole time, car numbers now allocated on the basis of previous seasons performance, Friday qualifying abandoned but number of free practice sessions increased from two to three and number of laps allocated each day increased from 23 to 30, standardisation of all FIA safety cars and medical cars, more fire drills for marshals, starting procedure improved, data storage unit to be mounted within survival cell.
1997 : Test tracks now require FIA approval and supervision, kerbing standardised, bolted tyre wall construction obligatory, cars to carry FIA ADR (accident data recorder) to analyse success of implemented safety measures, FIA approval required for all chief medical officers and medical centres, safety car made more powerful and may now be used for wet weather starts, accident intervention plan revised.
1998 : Narrow track era begins in Formula One, width of car reduced from 2 metres to 1.8 metres with teams now running rubber with grooves in (4 on the rear and 3 on the front) to reduce the speed of the cars, asymmetric braking banned, X-wings banned, single fuel bladder mandatory, refueling connector must be covered, cockpit dimensions increased, side impact test now to use 100% more energy, tyre barrier effectiveness increased, pit lane must now have 100 m of straight running before first pit garage, increased use of pit lane lights alongside flags.
1999 : Number of grooves on front tyres increased from three to four, flexible wings banned, pit lane shielding standardised, some run off areas to have asphalt instead of sand traps, at least four medical intervention cars and an FIA doctor car required, ADR required to be in operation during testing, wheels must be tethered to car to reduce the risk of launched components during an accident, rear and lateral headrest assembly made one piece and quick release, engine oil breathers must vent into engine air intake, extractable driver's seat madatory, frontal impact test speed increased to 13 m/s.
By the end of the 1990s safety standards had risen dramatically for the second time in 20 years. The deaths of marshals in both 2000 and 2001 after being struck by tyres after accidents at the Italian and Australian Grand Prix
respectively showed that the sport will never be completely safe. However on the whole the sport was in much better shape safety wise than it had been before. Save for the introduction of HANS
(head and neck safety) system in 2003 there have been no major safety improvements in the sport since the turn of the millennium.
Most of the changes that the FIA have implemented to the regulations in the nine seasons since the year 2000 have been aimed at trimming speed off the cars and, later in the decade, at reducing the costs involved in Formula One. These have risen by a factor of between three and four for the top teams like Ferrari
and McLaren. This sudden increase in budgets has largely been down to the influx of big spending car manufacturers setting up teams in the sport since Mercedes paved the way by buying 40% of the Mclaren team.
As of 2008, with the global credit crunch
threatening to turn into a full blown global recession, many of the car manufacturers (who sales have been hit hard by the economic crisis) can no longer afford the huge amounts of money they are investing in the sport. The gravity of the situation was realised when Honda suddenly withdrew its participation at the end of the 2008 season, later confirming to have sold the team, specifically blaming the world economic crisis. With the possibility of other manufacturers being faced with a similar decision to make, they along with the FIA agreed changes to the rules over the next two seasons (at least) to bring about dramatic cost savings in an effort to save the sport from collapsing under the weight of its own costs.
2001 : Traction control allowed again as FIA admit they are unable to police whether teams are using the system effectively, use of beryllium alloys in chassis or engine construction banned. Larger cockpit entry template and survival cell.
2002 : Team orders
banned after Rubens Barrichello
hands victory to Michael Schumacher
at final corner of the Austrian Grand Prix
.
2003 : Bi directional telemetry
banned HANS
(head and neck safety) system mandatory, change to point scoring system, points now being awarded down to 8th place, actual points scored now to run 10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1 from 1st to 8th place, testing allowed on a Friday of a race meeting in exchange for a reduction of testing mileage allowed outside of the Grand Prix calendar to make it more affordable for smaller teams, changes to qualifying session with only one flying lap now allowed for grid position, cars may not be refueled between final qualifying and the race start.
2004 : Engines required to last a whole race meeting, any engine change to result in 10 place grid penalty, minimum weight set at 605 kg during qualifying and at no less than 600 kg at all other times (including driver and fuel), pit lane speed limited to 100 km/h at all times, each driver must select his wet and dry weather tyre compounds
before the start of the race, minimum size of engine cover and rear wing end plates set to maximise advertising space, launch control banned for the second time, fully automatic transmission banned.
2005 : Rear diffuser size reduced to limit downforce, all engines now required to last two race weekends, qualifying format changed to two aggregate times from Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning to count towards grid positions (this format lasted until the European GP when qualifying reverted back to a driver's fastest single lap to count from Saturday afternoon qualifying), further changes to dimensions of front and rear wings and nose of car to make overtaking easier, restriction on tyre changes during qualifying and the race itself, if a driver stalls on the grid after the parade lap the other cars will now complete a second lap whilst the stalled vehicle is removed, in the event of a red flag the two hour race clock will no longer freeze between race sessions.
2006 : Only 14 sets of tyres allowed all weekend (seven dry, four wets and three extreme wets), in race tyre changing permitted again, qualifying format changed to three 15 minute shoot outs where the slowest cars are eliminated in the first two sessions leaving the 10 quickest to start with a clean slate and to go for pole position
, the final session was reduced from 20 minutes to 15 minutes from the French Grand Prix
onwards, Saturday free practice increased from 45 minutes to an hour in length. Engine capacity limited to 2400 cc and number of cylinders allowed reduced to eight in an attempt to reduce horsepower (although teams were allowed to run a rev restricted V10 for an interim period if no engine under the new regulations was available to them), restriction in the use of non ferrous materials in engine construction along with limiting the number of valves per cylinder to four, all engines must be of a 'V' configuration and at an angle of 90 degrees,
2007 : Tuned mass damper
system banned, rev limit of 19,000 rpm introduced, rear wing structure strengthened to prevent flexing, increased strength required from rear crash structure, single tyre supplier (Bridgestone
) after withdrawal of Michelin
, revised tyre regulations mean drivers must use both hard and soft compound tyre during the course of race (soft compound tyres are identified by a white stripe in one of the front tyre grooves), engine development frozen until the end of 2008 to cut costs, further restrictions to regulations means no teams may run a 3rd car on Friday, both sessions on Friday extended to 90 minutes in length, engine changes on first day of practice no longer subject to grid place penalty, pit lane restrictions during any period the safety car is on the track, annual testing limited to 30,000 km to reduce costs.
2008 : Traction control banned for the second and final time by means of all teams using a standard electronic control unit
(ECU) to eliminate the possibility of teams concealing the technology within their own engine management systems, strict limits placed on the amount of CFD
and wind tunnel
testing allowed each year.
2009 : Banning of almost all aerodynamic devices other than front and rear wing, slick tyres allowed once more (keeping to narrow track dimensions), limit of eight race/qualifying engines for the whole season (every new engine above this eight results in 10-place grid penalty), reduction of rear wing width from 1000 mm to 750 mm and in increase in height from 800 mm to 950 mm, reduction in the ground clearance of front wing from 150 mm to 50 mm and an increase in width from 1400 mm to 1800 mm, rear diffuser to be longer and higher, variable front aerodynamic devices permitted (with limited in car control by driver) and the introduction of KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) to store some of the energy generated under braking and convert it into a temporary horsepower
increase of around 80 bhp that can be used 6.6 seconds per lap by the drivers for overtaking.
2010 : Drastic cost cutting measures are introduced. In-race refueling ban returns, as a result fuel can be added to any F1 car after qualifying, but Q3 drivers must start the race with the tyres they set their fastest Q3 time with. The same 8 engine limit is maintained despite the increase to 19 races over the course of the season (with a rev limiter set at 18,000 rpm to assist in this), front tyre width reduced, a ban on testing during the season as well as an agreement with teams about reducing the number of staff employed. 3 new teams mean 7 drivers are now dropped from Q1 and Q2. Scoring system changed to allow the first ten cars to receive points: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. Backmarkers no longer able to unlap themselves behind the Safety Car. Teams unanimously agree to not use KERS for the 2010 season in order to allow all teams time to be able to develop and perfect their own systems.
2011 : The double-diffuser concept is banned, with teams requiring the use of simple, single-piece diffusers. The "F-duct" system pioneered by McLaren
is banned (thereby banning shark fins from being connected to the rear wing). Adjustable front wings have also been banned. Gearboxes must last for 5 race weekends, but for the season each driver has one penalty free gearbox change at their disposal. Driver adjustable rear wing, known as DRS (drag reduction system) introduced to help overtaking. Can be freely used in practice and qualifying, but in the race only when within 1 second of the next car by the detection zone, and only activated in the activation zone. DRS wing must immediately close under braking, and DRS is banned in the first 3 laps of each race, plus when a track is declared wet. 107% qualifying rule re-introduced following concerns about new teams pace. Teams agree to re-introduce KERS, with minimum car weight increasing by twenty kilograms to offset the weight of the KERS device. Sporting regulations amended to clear up last-lap safety car and qualifying in-lap procedures. Drivers are also warned to be examples of road safety when driving in public following Lewis Hamilton
being pulled over following the 2010 Australian Grand Prix
; FIA President Jean Todt
suggests that improper behaviour by drivers may be grounds for suspension or revocation of racing licences. Ban on team orders lifted (although FIA can use disrepute clause for misuse of it).
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
's rules and regulations are set by the sport's governing body, the FIA. The primary reasons behind rule changes have traditionally been to do with safety. As each decade has passed the FIA have made more and more changes in the regulations so that better facilities and equipment are available in the event of an accident at race meetings. These rule changes have also been aimed at eliminating dangerous practices from the sport in an effort to make it safer.
Many innovations and technological improvements have been banned over the years as a result of FIA regulation changes. The governing body have taken these actions to slow the cars down to a level where a Grand Prix car can be driven relatively safely. Without this pruning of the sport's technological advancement cars today could be capable of cornering speeds in excess of 300 km/h. The result of an accident at this speed whilst negotiating a bend in the track would almost certainly be the death of the driver.
Since 2000, the FIA has been issuing an increasing number of rule changes to limit the cost of the sport. The cost of running a team in the sport has increased dramatically in recent years and this situation has not proved sustainable. From 2009 onwards, Formula One has committed itself to dramatic reductions in expenditure.
1950s: No thought given to safety
1950–1953 : Engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
specs set at 1500 cc maximum size for engines with a compressor
Gas compressor
A gas compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume.Compressors are similar to pumps: both increase the pressure on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a pipe. As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the volume of a gas...
(supercharger or turbocharger) or 4500 cc for normally aspirated engines. No weight limit. Note that in 1952 and 1953, the World Drivers' Championship was run to Formula Two regulations (maximum capacity of 750 cc for engines with a compressor or 2000 cc for normally aspirated engines), but the Formula One regulations remained unchanged, and numerous non-championship Formula One races were held during this period.
1954 : Engine specs amended to allow 750 cc maximum engine size with a compressor or 2500 cc for a normally aspirated engine. No weight limit.
1958 : The use of commercial petrol became compulsory and alcohol-based racing fuels were no longer permitted.
1960s: Safety as an afterthought
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
and the beginnings of drivers lobbying for safer racing conditions, the number of rule changes made began to accelerate as the decade came to a close.
1960 : Regulations unchanged from 1959 (maximum engine capacity of 750 cc for a compressed engine or 2500 cc for normally aspirated engines. No weight restrictions).
1961–1965 : Engine specs amended to a normally aspirated engine of between 1300 cc and 1500 cc, no compressors allowed, minimum weight set at 450 kg, pump fuel only, automatic starter, roll bar
Roll cage
A roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
required, double braking system mandatory, standardised seatbelt anchorage, fire protection for fuel tanks, fillers and breathers, FIA begin to organise safety inspections (previously done by local authorities), protective helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
and overalls obligatory, flag signalling code established.
1966–1969 : Engine specs amended to a 1500 cc engine with a compressor or a 3000 cc normally aspirated engine allowed, minimum weight set at 500 kg, electrical circuit breaker, reverse gear, oil catch tank, a rollbar 5 cm above driver's head, two-part extinguisher system and cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
designed for quick evacuation all made mandatory, all aerodynamic features must be immobile (thereby banning air brakes) and fixed to a sprung part of the car, maximum bodywork height and width restrictions ban the use of dangerous high wings, recommendations made on seat harnesses, fire resistant clothing and shatter-proof visors.
1970s: The beginnings of modern Formula One
Charade Circuit
The Charade Circuit is a motorsport road course in the Auvergne mountains in France near Clermont-Ferrand, the home of Michelin and Patrick Depailler....
, the 8.7 mile Spa-Francorchamps
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...
circuit and the 14.7 mile Nürburgring Nordschleife
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
. Although all of the aforementioned circuits were improved with safety features, by 1977 Charade, Spa and the Nürburgring were all no longer on the calendar all for the same general reason- safety concerns. Safer circuits such as Paul Ricard
Circuit Paul Ricard
The Paul Ricard Circuit is a motorsport race track built at Le Castellet, near Marseille, France, in 1969 with finance from the eccentric drinks magnate Paul Ricard, who created what essentially became Pernod Ricard...
, Zolder and Hockenheimring
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
were built with safety features installed; and at the end of the decade Formula One had become a safer sport, but it was still dangerous. Ground effect, a technology that was able to create huge amounts of downforce with inverted aerofoils mounted on the sides of the car, was discovered and developed by Colin Chapman and his Lotus team in the mid 70s, and the technology was perfected with the dominant Type 79
Lotus 79
The Lotus 79 was a Formula One car designed in late 1977 by Colin Chapman, Geoff Aldridge, Martin Ogilvie, Tony Rudd and Peter Wright of Lotus. It is considered by many to be one of the most significant and respected racing car designs of all time....
. All the other teams followed suit, and the performance of the cars skyrocketed over a period of 2 years. Many of the drivers felt that the danger level involved in the sport was unnecessarily high despite the changes in the rules that had been implemented by the end of the 1970s. The drivers crusade for improved safety was led in the 1970s by Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
. After the needless and avoidable death of Ronnie Peterson
Ronnie Peterson
Bengt Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver. He was a two-time runner-up in the FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship.Peterson began his motor racing career in kart racing, traditionally the discipline where the majority of race drivers begin their careers in open-wheel racing...
at the Italian Grand Prix
Italian Grand Prix
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia...
in 1978 the sport finally made the wholesale changes needed to bring it up towards the modern standards of safety the sport enjoys today.
1970 : Engine specs amended to 1500 cc compressed engine or 3000 cc normally aspirated engine, minimum weight set at 530 kg, safety bladder fuel cell tanks introduced, report published on track standards, recommends straw bales be banned, double guard rails in place, 3 metre grass verges, spectators to be kept a minimum of 3 metres behind guard railings, barrier between pit lane and track as well as track width, surface and gradient recommendations and mandatory FIA inspections of track facilities.
1971 : Role responsibilities and mandatory equipment list set out for race supervisors, marshals and signalers, drivers must be evacuated from cockpit in less than five seconds. All race distances must be under 200 miles (320 km).
1972 : Maximum permitted size of a compressed engine increased to 1500 cc, minimum weight increased to 550 kg, safety foam in fuel tanks, no magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
sheeting to be less than 3 mm thick, 15w red rear light mandatory, head rest required, minimum cockpit dimensions, combined electrical cut off and extinguisher external handle required, fuel tanks to meet FIA specifications, six point harness required, circuit safety criteria set down, drivers code of conduct released.
1973 : Numbers now assigned to drivers. The #1 number is now assigned to the World Champion. Minimum weight increased to 575 kg, crushable structure around fuel tanks mandatory, no chrome plating
Chrome plating
Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will...
of suspension parts allowed, drivers required to carry medical card and submit to medical examination before they are able to race, catch fencing and rescue equipment mandatory at races, starting grid dimensions standardised, fire service regulations established.
1974 : Self sealing fuel lines mandatory, sand traps added to catch fencing as safety features at circuits, 2x2 staggered starting grid with 12 metres allowed per car.
1975 : Marshal's posts to be provided with service roads for ease of access, FIA standard set for fire resistant clothing.
1976 : Airboxes on the top of cars are banned. "Safety structures" around dashboard
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
and pedals
Automobile pedal
An automobile may have two to four foot pedals. The arrangement is the same for both right- and left-hand traffic. From left to right:* normally operated by the left foot:**clutch pedal, not in the case of automatic transmission...
implemented. After Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
's near-fatal accident at a nearly inaccessible point at the treacherous 14.2 mi (22.8 km) Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
in West Germany, the circuit was taken off the 1977 calendar after being on the calendar for all but 4 seasons of Formula One up to 1976.
1977 : Pedal box safety structures more adequately defined, gravel traps defined more adequately, helmets must be made to FIA approved standards.
1978 : Brabham's BT46B
Brabham BT46
The Brabham BT46 was a Formula One racing car, designed by Gordon Murray for the Brabham team, owned by Bernie Ecclestone, for the 1978 Formula One season. The car featured several radical design elements, the most obvious of which was the use of flat panel heat exchangers on the bodywork of the...
'fan car' deemed illegal and banned after its first (and only) appearance of the season where it won at the Swedish Grand Prix
Swedish Grand Prix
The Swedish Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship from 1973 to 1978. It took place at the Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp , about 30km from Jönköping, in Småland, Sweden...
, bulkhead
Bulkhead
Bulkhead may refer to:* Bulkhead, a compartment of a building for preventing spread of fires, see Compartmentalization * Bulkhead , a retaining wall used as a form of coastal management, akin to a seawall, or as a structural device such as a bulkhead partition* Bulkhead , a wall within the hull of...
behind driver and front roll bar defined, licence qualification criteria set for all drivers, all grid slots allocated 14 metres per car.
1979 : Medical air required to be piped into drivers helmet in the event of an accident, bigger cockpit opening, two mirrors and better fire extinguisher on board cars required, FIA appointed, professional, permanent race starter mandatory.
1980s: Taming the turbos
Patrick Depailler
Patrick André Eugène Joseph Depailler was a racing driver from France. He participated in 95 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 2 July 1972. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.Depailler was born in Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme. As a child, he...
in 1980 and Gilles Villeneuve
Gilles Villeneuve
Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve, better known as Gilles Villeneuve , was a Canadian racing driver. An enthusiast of cars and fast driving from an early age, he started his professional career in snowmobile racing in his native province of Quebec...
& Riccardo Paletti
Riccardo Paletti
Riccardo Paletti was an Italian motor racing driver. Paletti's Formula One career was cut short as he fatally crashed on the start grid in only his second Formula One start; it was his first race with a full grid of cars....
in 1982. The huge amounts of downforce created by ground effect became increasingly dangerous as years went on, and aside from the fatal accidents mentioned above, a number of drivers crashed heavily enough for their careers to be brought to an end, and the technology was banned outright at the start of the 1983 season. These safety changes coupled with the much stronger carbon fibre replacing aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
as the material of choice for chassis construction meant there was not a single driver fatality at a race meeting for the rest of the decade. However one factor threatening to undo all this progress was the almost exponential power increases being extracted from turbocharged engines. With power output doubling in less than 10 years and figures as high as in excess of 1400 bhp being talked about by engine manufacturers, from 1986 onwards the FIA's primary goal was to rein in the turbo engines before finally banning them altogether at the end of the 1988 season.
1980 : Permanent medical facility required at all tracks, these facilities must be staffed by FIA approved medics, fast response car mandatory at all races, maximum weight for F1 car set at 575 kg.
1981 : Private entries of other makes of car disallowed. All teams entering any Formula One race must enter their own cars, but they are still allowed to purchase the engine and the gearbox from independent manufacturers. Flexible side skirts banned to reduce downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
created by ground effect, mandatory ground clearance of 6 cm required to limit ground effect further, Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
twin chassis type 88
Lotus 88
The Lotus 88 was an innovative ground effect Formula One car designed by Colin Chapman, Peter Wright, Tony Rudd and Martin Ogilvie of Lotus in an effort to maximise the downforce produced by ground effects cars.-History:...
outlawed, pit lane minimum width set at 10 metres, survival cell extending to the front of the drivers feet introduced to improve driver survivability in the event of an accident, minimum weight of car set at 585 kg.
1982 : Rotary engines
Pistonless rotary engine
A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons...
, diesel engines, gas turbine engines and sarich orbital engines
Orbital engine
The Sarich orbital engine is a type of internal combustion engine, featuring rotary rather than reciprocating motion of its internal parts. It differs from the conceptually similar Wankel engine by using a shaped rotor that rolls around the interior of the engine, rather than having a trilobular...
all banned as part of the Concorde Agreement
Concorde Agreement
The Concorde Agreement is a contract between the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , the Formula One teams and the Formula One Administration which dictates the terms by which the teams compete in races and take their share of the television revenues and prize money...
, rigid skirts legalised and ride height restrictions removed as FIA admit that policing a ban is not possible whilst many teams are using hydraulic suspension systems to alter ride heights and circumvent the rules, minimum weight of car set at 580 kg.
1983 : Ground effect
Ground effect in cars
Ground effect is term applied to a series of aerodynamic effects used in car design, which has been exploited to create downforce, particularly in racing cars. This has been the successor to the earlier dominant aerodynamic theory of streamlining...
outlawed completely for the beginning of the 1983 season. all cars return to a flat undertray, four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
banned along with cars with more than four wheels, minimum weight set at 540 kg.
1984 : In race refuelling outlawed, fuel tank required to be in centre of car, between driver and engine, maximum fuel capacity allowed on cars set at 220 litres per race to try and reduce the output of turbo engines, drivers required to have FIA super licence before they can compete in F1, concrete retaining walls permitted alongside guard rails.
1985 : Rear-wing size limits set in place, catch fencing banned at the end of this season. All cars now subject to a frontal crash test to be deemed race worthy.
1986 : Permanent FIA medical service inspector and medevac helicopter mandatory at race meetings, after needless death of Elio de Angelis
Elio de Angelis
Elio de Angelis was an Italian racing driver who participated in Formula One between and , racing for the Shadow, Lotus and Brabham teams. He was killed during testing at the Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet in 1986...
in testing. All F1 test sessions to be completed under full race meeting safety conditions, engine capacity 1500 cc with compressor (i.e. normally aspirated engines prohibited), maximum fuel consumption reduced to 195 litres per race.
1987 : Boost pressure capped at 4.0 bars to limit turbo power, minimum weight of cars set at 500 kg. Normally aspirated engines are permitted again, with a maximum capacity of 3500 cc and no fuel limit. Grid slots allocated 16 metres per car. FIA announce that from 1989 onwards turbos will be banned and to encourage teams to switch, two additional championships are introduced, which are open to non turbo teams only: the Jim Clark Cup for drivers, and the Colin Chapman Trophy for constructors. These one-off championships are won by Jonathan Palmer
Jonathan Palmer
Dr. Jonathan Charles Palmer is an entrepreneur and former racing driver from England. Educated at Brighton College, he won the 1981 British Formula Three Championship and the 1983 European Formula Two Championship. He participated in 87 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on September 25, 1983...
and by Tyrrell
Tyrrell Racing
The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
-Ford respectively.
1988 : Boost pressure further reduced to a maximum of 2.5 bars to limit the power output of the turbo engines in their final year, maximum fuel consumption of turbo cars reduced to 155 litres per race. In any design the drivers feet must not extend beyond the front wheel axle, static crash test of survival cell and fuel cell mandatory, minimum weight of cars increased to 540 kg.
1989 : Turbocharged engines banned completely, normally aspirated engines of 3500 cc in size and 8 to 12 cylinders the only engines permitted, fuel restrictions removed, all track side guard rails must be a minimum of 1 metre in height and the pit wall must be a minimum of 1 m 35 cm in height, all drivers subject to anti doping testing as per IOC guidelines.
1990s: Complacency proves costly
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
) stated that they believed 1994 would "be a season with lots of accidents".
Near fatal accidents to JJ Lehto (pre season), Jean Alesi
Jean Alesi
Jean Alesi is a French racing driver of Italian origin. His Formula One career included spells at Tyrrell, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, Jordan and most notably Ferrari where he proved very popular among the tifosi...
(in season testing) and Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable...
(Friday practice at San Marino) were to both prove Senna right and be just a precursor to the deaths on successive days of Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver who raced in Formula Nippon, Formula 3000 and Formula One...
and the triple World Champion Brazilian at the San Marino Grand Prix
San Marino Grand Prix
The San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One championship race which was run at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in the town of Imola, near the Apennine mountains in Italy, between 1981 and 2006...
. The sweeping changes that the FIA implemented post Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
proved to be almost as rash as the ones at the end of 1993 and nearly claimed the life of Pedro Lamy
Pedro Lamy
José Pedro Mourão Lamy Viçoso, OIH, better known as Pedro Lamy , is a professional racing driver from Portugal. He is notable for being the first Portuguese driver to score a point in a World Championship event, in the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, for Minardi...
in a testing accident. The cause of the accident was put down as rear wing failure as a result of the FIA rushing through new rules including one reducing the size of the rear diffuser which reduced the number of anchoring points the attached rear wing assembly could use.
To its credit the FIA learned from the mistakes of 1994 and much more consideration and forward thinking was put into changes made to the rules from there onwards. By the close of the decade a measure of the impact on the sport that the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix had had was that for the first time in its history, safety had become Formula One's number one concern.
1990 : Large mirrors and quick release steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
made mandatory, all marshals and medical staff must practice driver extrication exercises.
1991 : Front wing narrowed from 150 cm to 140 cm. Rear overhang reduced from 60 cm to 50 cm. More stringent testing of survival cell by FIA including seat belts, fuel tanks and rollbar. Points scoring system overhauled, win now secures 10 points and all results to count instead of best 11 scores.
1992 : Yet more exhaustive testing of survival cell including rear impact testing, height of kerbing lowered, minimum width of pit lane increased to 12 metres, pit lane entry chicane mandatory, safety car introduced.
1993 : Rear tyre
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
width reduced from 18 inches to 15 inches to reduce the grip and so the speed of the cars, overall car width reduced to 200cm. Rear wing height reduced from 100 cm to 90 cm, distance of front end plates from flat bottom increased from 25 mm to 40 mm, head rest area increased from 80cm2 to 400cm2. CVT
Continuously variable transmission
A continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...
(continuously variable transmission) banned before ever appearing at a race. End of race crowd control measures implemented, 50 km/h speed lane restriction during free practice. Fuel used restricted to that available to the general public.
1994 : Ban on electronic driver aids such as active suspension
Active suspension
Active or adaptive suspension is an automotive technology that controls the vertical movement of the wheels with an onboard system rather than the movement being determined entirely by the road surface...
, traction control
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
, launch control
Launch control (automotive)
Launch control typically refers to an electronic aid which is used to assist the drivers of various motorsports at the start of a race.Launch control also refers to an electronic setting on many modern sporting saloons and coupes which help the driver accelerate from a standing start, to gain the...
, ABS
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
, 4 wheel steering at the beginning of the season, mid race refueling allowed for the first time since 1983, post Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
sweeping changes introduced to slow cars down, starting from the Monaco race onwards a pit-lane speed limit is put in place; between the Spanish Grand Prix
Spanish Grand Prix
The Spanish Grand Prix is a Formula One race currently held at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the annual Formula One championship season.-History:...
and the German Grand Prix
German Grand Prix
The German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race.Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951...
additional changes are phased in and include a reduction in the height of the rear wing of 10 cm, an increase in the height of the front wing, no front wing trailing assemblies to extend behind front wheel, a 10 mm wooden plank fitted to the under tray (permitted to be worn by no more than 1 mm by the race end), a ban on high rear wing assemblies extending ahead of the rear axle line to sidestep the wing height restrictions, depressurising the engine airbox
Airbox
Motorcyclists and car enthusiasts use the term airbox for what might more properly be described as an air intake chamber. Older engines drew air directly from the surroundings into each individual carburetor...
to reduce power, minimum headrest thickness of 75 mm introduced, more stringent fire extinguisher regulations and driver helmet criteria implemented,a pit lane speed restriction of 80 km/h in practice and 120 km/h in race conditions introduced, also for first two rounds the parade lap
Parade lap
A parade lap, also known as a formation lap or warm-up lap, is a lap before a motorsport race begins, in which the drivers go around the track at a slow speed , and, in some cases, behind the safety car...
was to be completed behind safety car
Safety car
In motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
(abandoned from Imola onwards), pit spectator area to be fire shielded, 27 corners identified as very high risk and as a result changes to circuit layouts implemented to remove or modify these parts of the track. After Imola pit-lane speed limit is implemented.
1995 : A reduction in engine capacity from 3500 cc to 3000 cc to further slow cars, longer cockpit openings to reduce chance of drivers head hitting it in the event of an accident, survival cell side impact tests introduced, obligatory automatic neutral selection when engine stops, increase in length chassis must extend beyond drivers feet from 15 cm to 30 cm, frontal impact test speed increased from 11 m/s to 12 m/s, kerbs made smoother, pit wall debris shield installed, 3 inch safety straps mandatory, super licence criteria and fuel restrictions made more stringent (i.e. special racing fuels - previously an exotic mixture of benzenes and toluenes, are banned; only those with similar characteristics to everyday unleaded petrol are permitted).
1996 : Increased cockpit protection around the driver's head. Front wing end plates to be no more than 10 mm thick to reduce damage to tyres of another car in the event of collision, all harness release levers must point downwards, to qualify for a race all cars must now be within 107% of pole time, car numbers now allocated on the basis of previous seasons performance, Friday qualifying abandoned but number of free practice sessions increased from two to three and number of laps allocated each day increased from 23 to 30, standardisation of all FIA safety cars and medical cars, more fire drills for marshals, starting procedure improved, data storage unit to be mounted within survival cell.
1997 : Test tracks now require FIA approval and supervision, kerbing standardised, bolted tyre wall construction obligatory, cars to carry FIA ADR (accident data recorder) to analyse success of implemented safety measures, FIA approval required for all chief medical officers and medical centres, safety car made more powerful and may now be used for wet weather starts, accident intervention plan revised.
1998 : Narrow track era begins in Formula One, width of car reduced from 2 metres to 1.8 metres with teams now running rubber with grooves in (4 on the rear and 3 on the front) to reduce the speed of the cars, asymmetric braking banned, X-wings banned, single fuel bladder mandatory, refueling connector must be covered, cockpit dimensions increased, side impact test now to use 100% more energy, tyre barrier effectiveness increased, pit lane must now have 100 m of straight running before first pit garage, increased use of pit lane lights alongside flags.
1999 : Number of grooves on front tyres increased from three to four, flexible wings banned, pit lane shielding standardised, some run off areas to have asphalt instead of sand traps, at least four medical intervention cars and an FIA doctor car required, ADR required to be in operation during testing, wheels must be tethered to car to reduce the risk of launched components during an accident, rear and lateral headrest assembly made one piece and quick release, engine oil breathers must vent into engine air intake, extractable driver's seat madatory, frontal impact test speed increased to 13 m/s.
2000 to 2010: Excess gives way to sustainability
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
respectively showed that the sport will never be completely safe. However on the whole the sport was in much better shape safety wise than it had been before. Save for the introduction of HANS
Hans
Hans may refer to:*Hans, Marne, a commune in France*Hans, Magazine, a Hindi literary magazine in India*Hans Island, contested between Greenland and Canada* Hans , a given name...
(head and neck safety) system in 2003 there have been no major safety improvements in the sport since the turn of the millennium.
Most of the changes that the FIA have implemented to the regulations in the nine seasons since the year 2000 have been aimed at trimming speed off the cars and, later in the decade, at reducing the costs involved in Formula One. These have risen by a factor of between three and four for the top teams like Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
and McLaren. This sudden increase in budgets has largely been down to the influx of big spending car manufacturers setting up teams in the sport since Mercedes paved the way by buying 40% of the Mclaren team.
As of 2008, with the global credit crunch
Credit crunch
A credit crunch is a reduction in the general availability of loans or a sudden tightening of the conditions required to obtain a loan from the banks. A credit crunch generally involves a reduction in the availability of credit independent of a rise in official interest rates...
threatening to turn into a full blown global recession, many of the car manufacturers (who sales have been hit hard by the economic crisis) can no longer afford the huge amounts of money they are investing in the sport. The gravity of the situation was realised when Honda suddenly withdrew its participation at the end of the 2008 season, later confirming to have sold the team, specifically blaming the world economic crisis. With the possibility of other manufacturers being faced with a similar decision to make, they along with the FIA agreed changes to the rules over the next two seasons (at least) to bring about dramatic cost savings in an effort to save the sport from collapsing under the weight of its own costs.
2001 : Traction control allowed again as FIA admit they are unable to police whether teams are using the system effectively, use of beryllium alloys in chassis or engine construction banned. Larger cockpit entry template and survival cell.
2002 : Team orders
Team orders
In motor racing, team orders is a motorsport term for the practice of teams issuing instructions to drivers to deviate from the normal practice of racing against each other as they would against other teams' drivers. Prime examples of this were the team orders issued by Formula One teams to their...
banned after Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable...
hands victory to Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
at final corner of the Austrian Grand Prix
2002 Austrian Grand Prix
The 2002 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 12, 2002 at the A1-Ring. It was infamous for the "staged finish", where race leader Rubens Barrichello, who was running first, was ordered to allow Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher to overtake him under "team orders" and win the...
.
2003 : Bi directional telemetry
Telemetry
Telemetry is a technology that allows measurements to be made at a distance, usually via radio wave transmission and reception of the information. The word is derived from Greek roots: tele = remote, and metron = measure...
banned HANS
Hans
Hans may refer to:*Hans, Marne, a commune in France*Hans, Magazine, a Hindi literary magazine in India*Hans Island, contested between Greenland and Canada* Hans , a given name...
(head and neck safety) system mandatory, change to point scoring system, points now being awarded down to 8th place, actual points scored now to run 10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1 from 1st to 8th place, testing allowed on a Friday of a race meeting in exchange for a reduction of testing mileage allowed outside of the Grand Prix calendar to make it more affordable for smaller teams, changes to qualifying session with only one flying lap now allowed for grid position, cars may not be refueled between final qualifying and the race start.
2004 : Engines required to last a whole race meeting, any engine change to result in 10 place grid penalty, minimum weight set at 605 kg during qualifying and at no less than 600 kg at all other times (including driver and fuel), pit lane speed limited to 100 km/h at all times, each driver must select his wet and dry weather tyre compounds
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
before the start of the race, minimum size of engine cover and rear wing end plates set to maximise advertising space, launch control banned for the second time, fully automatic transmission banned.
2005 : Rear diffuser size reduced to limit downforce, all engines now required to last two race weekends, qualifying format changed to two aggregate times from Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning to count towards grid positions (this format lasted until the European GP when qualifying reverted back to a driver's fastest single lap to count from Saturday afternoon qualifying), further changes to dimensions of front and rear wings and nose of car to make overtaking easier, restriction on tyre changes during qualifying and the race itself, if a driver stalls on the grid after the parade lap the other cars will now complete a second lap whilst the stalled vehicle is removed, in the event of a red flag the two hour race clock will no longer freeze between race sessions.
2006 : Only 14 sets of tyres allowed all weekend (seven dry, four wets and three extreme wets), in race tyre changing permitted again, qualifying format changed to three 15 minute shoot outs where the slowest cars are eliminated in the first two sessions leaving the 10 quickest to start with a clean slate and to go for pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
, the final session was reduced from 20 minutes to 15 minutes from the French Grand Prix
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
onwards, Saturday free practice increased from 45 minutes to an hour in length. Engine capacity limited to 2400 cc and number of cylinders allowed reduced to eight in an attempt to reduce horsepower (although teams were allowed to run a rev restricted V10 for an interim period if no engine under the new regulations was available to them), restriction in the use of non ferrous materials in engine construction along with limiting the number of valves per cylinder to four, all engines must be of a 'V' configuration and at an angle of 90 degrees,
2007 : Tuned mass damper
Tuned mass damper
A tuned mass damper, also known as an active mass damper or harmonic absorber, is a device mounted in structures to reduce the amplitude of mechanical vibrations. Their application can prevent discomfort, damage, or outright structural failure...
system banned, rev limit of 19,000 rpm introduced, rear wing structure strengthened to prevent flexing, increased strength required from rear crash structure, single tyre supplier (Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
) after withdrawal of Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
, revised tyre regulations mean drivers must use both hard and soft compound tyre during the course of race (soft compound tyres are identified by a white stripe in one of the front tyre grooves), engine development frozen until the end of 2008 to cut costs, further restrictions to regulations means no teams may run a 3rd car on Friday, both sessions on Friday extended to 90 minutes in length, engine changes on first day of practice no longer subject to grid place penalty, pit lane restrictions during any period the safety car is on the track, annual testing limited to 30,000 km to reduce costs.
2008 : Traction control banned for the second and final time by means of all teams using a standard electronic control unit
Electronic control unit
In automotive electronics, electronic control unit is a generic term for any embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a motor vehicle....
(ECU) to eliminate the possibility of teams concealing the technology within their own engine management systems, strict limits placed on the amount of CFD
Computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
and wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
testing allowed each year.
2009 : Banning of almost all aerodynamic devices other than front and rear wing, slick tyres allowed once more (keeping to narrow track dimensions), limit of eight race/qualifying engines for the whole season (every new engine above this eight results in 10-place grid penalty), reduction of rear wing width from 1000 mm to 750 mm and in increase in height from 800 mm to 950 mm, reduction in the ground clearance of front wing from 150 mm to 50 mm and an increase in width from 1400 mm to 1800 mm, rear diffuser to be longer and higher, variable front aerodynamic devices permitted (with limited in car control by driver) and the introduction of KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) to store some of the energy generated under braking and convert it into a temporary horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
increase of around 80 bhp that can be used 6.6 seconds per lap by the drivers for overtaking.
2010 : Drastic cost cutting measures are introduced. In-race refueling ban returns, as a result fuel can be added to any F1 car after qualifying, but Q3 drivers must start the race with the tyres they set their fastest Q3 time with. The same 8 engine limit is maintained despite the increase to 19 races over the course of the season (with a rev limiter set at 18,000 rpm to assist in this), front tyre width reduced, a ban on testing during the season as well as an agreement with teams about reducing the number of staff employed. 3 new teams mean 7 drivers are now dropped from Q1 and Q2. Scoring system changed to allow the first ten cars to receive points: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. Backmarkers no longer able to unlap themselves behind the Safety Car. Teams unanimously agree to not use KERS for the 2010 season in order to allow all teams time to be able to develop and perfect their own systems.
2011 and Beyond: "Improving the Show"
Previous regulation changes at the tail end of the first decade of the new millennium aimed at improving the show had largely proven to be a failure. With cost escalation now largely under control thanks to recently implemented budget caps and safety standards at an all time high, the sport's focus for the new decade is around continuing to improve the race spectacle. Along side this however is the medium term objective of making the sport more environmentally aware, both in an effort to secure its future in times of dwindling fossil fuel reserves, but also to bring in new sponsors put off by the sports image of conspicuous consumption.2011 : The double-diffuser concept is banned, with teams requiring the use of simple, single-piece diffusers. The "F-duct" system pioneered by McLaren
McLaren MP4-25
The McLaren MP4-25 was a Formula One motor racing car designed and raced by McLaren in the season. The car, which was driven by World Champion Jenson Button and World Champion Lewis Hamilton, was officially unveiled at title sponsor Vodafone's headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom...
is banned (thereby banning shark fins from being connected to the rear wing). Adjustable front wings have also been banned. Gearboxes must last for 5 race weekends, but for the season each driver has one penalty free gearbox change at their disposal. Driver adjustable rear wing, known as DRS (drag reduction system) introduced to help overtaking. Can be freely used in practice and qualifying, but in the race only when within 1 second of the next car by the detection zone, and only activated in the activation zone. DRS wing must immediately close under braking, and DRS is banned in the first 3 laps of each race, plus when a track is declared wet. 107% qualifying rule re-introduced following concerns about new teams pace. Teams agree to re-introduce KERS, with minimum car weight increasing by twenty kilograms to offset the weight of the KERS device. Sporting regulations amended to clear up last-lap safety car and qualifying in-lap procedures. Drivers are also warned to be examples of road safety when driving in public following Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
being pulled over following the 2010 Australian Grand Prix
2010 Australian Grand Prix
The 2010 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 28 March 2010 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the second race of the 2010 Formula One season. The race was won by McLaren driver Jenson Button, the first back-to-back Australian Grand Prix winner...
; FIA President Jean Todt
Jean Todt
Jean Todt was born on February 25, 1946, in Pierrefort, Cantal, France. After a successful career as a rally co-driver he made his reputation in motor sport management, first with Peugeot Talbot Sport, then with Scuderia Ferrari, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari from 2004...
suggests that improper behaviour by drivers may be grounds for suspension or revocation of racing licences. Ban on team orders lifted (although FIA can use disrepute clause for misuse of it).
See also
- Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
- Formula One RegulationsFormula One regulationsThe numerous Formula One regulations, made and enforced by the FIA and later the FISA, have changed dramatically since the first Formula One World Championship in 1950...
- Formula One enginesFormula One enginesSince its inception in 1947, Formula One has used a variety of engine regulations. "Formulas" limiting engine capacity had been used in Grand Prix racing on a regular basis since after World War I. The engine formulae are divided according to era.-Operation:...
- 2009 Formula One season2009 Formula One seasonThe 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
- FIA
- List of Formula One fatal accidents
- 1994 San Marino Grand Prix1994 San Marino Grand PrixThe 1994 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 1, 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy. It was the third race of the 1994 Formula One season...
- 1978 Italian Grand Prix1978 Italian Grand PrixThe 1978 Italian Grand Prix was the 14th race of the 1978 Formula One season. It was held on 10 September 1978 at Monza. It was marred by the death of Ronnie Peterson following an accident at the start of the race....
- List of Formula One circuits
- Regenerative brakeRegenerative brakeA regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle or object down by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed...
External links
- Current regulations — from the FIA website