The FIA World Motor Sport Council has approved changes to this year’s Formula 1 regulations to incorporate the new COVID-19 protocols that will be introduced in Austria next month.
In addition there have been further refinements to the rules for future seasons as the FIA, F1 and the teams continue to seek ways of controlling costs.
Grid, race suspension/resumption and podium procedures have all been adapted to deal with the new protocols as expected, while curfew rules have been adjusted to allow for the social distancing rules.
Pirelli’s request to standardise tyre allocations to compensate for the fluid calendar has also been approved. The FIA also outlines that stewards can “operate remotely in exceptional circumstances, should the conditions require it”.
The 2020 and 2021 technical regulations have undergone “adjustments and refinements” to the list of homologated components announced last month, which defines what parts of the cars are frozen and how the token system works.
In addition a new rule has been added related to the “partial-load fuel mass flow rate” as the FIA continues to clamp down on fuel usage.
For 2021 there are refinements to the aerodynamic testing restrictions in the sporting regulations.
Two intriguing additions to the technical regulations are a limit to the number of software versions a team can use in a year, and a limit to the number of fuel formulations and engine oil specifications that can be approved in a year.