Current Rules and Regulations for F1

World Championship:

The maximum number of events in the Championship is 19, the minimum 8.

The Formula One World Championship drivers' title will be awarded to the driver who has scored the highest number of points, taking into consideration all the results obtained during the events which have actually taken place.

The title of Formula One World Champion for Constructors will be awarded to the make which has scored the highest number of points, taking into account all the results obtained by a maxium of two cars per make.

Dead Heat

Prizes and points awarded for all the positions of competitors who tie, will be added together and shared equally.

If two or more constructors or drivers finish the season with the same number of points, the higher place in the Championship (in either case) will be awarded to:

a) the holder of the greatest number of first places.

b) if the number of first places is the same, the holder of the greatest number of second places.

c) if the number of second place is the same, the holder of the greatest number of third places and so on until the winner emerges.

d) if this procedure fails to produce a result, the FIA will nominate the winner according to such criteria as it sees fit.

Practice

The Friday schedule is limited to free practice sessions.

Except for the top four teams in the 2003 Constructors' Championship, all teams are allowed to use a third car.

However, the driver of this car must be in possession of a Super Licence and may only have participated in a maximum of six Grands Prix during the past two years.

As before, free practice sessions are on the agenda on Saturday morning.

Qualifying

There are two qualifying sessions, which takes place from 1300 until 1400 local time on both Friday (or Thursday in the case of Monaco) and Saturday.

Qualifying sessions continue to be conducted in the format of single timed laps.

The starting grid is determined on Saturday, starting at 1300 BST, with each driver permitted to do two single timed laps.

The results of the first determine the order of the second session which, ultimately, determines the positions on the starting grid.

Whilst refuelling and set-up changes are permitted between these single timed laps, they are prohibited before the race.

Each driver must complete three laps, including a warm-up lap and a slowing-down lap. The running order on Friday will be determined by championship order (the leader will run first), and on Saturday by times in Friday's one hour session (the slowest will run first).

The Pit Lane

The maximum speed in the pit lane is between 80 -120 km per hour (50 -74 mph) depending on the circuit.

If the speed limit is broken the driver is shown a black flag and must go into the pits for a 10 second stop-go penalty.

Distance

The length of the race is determined by the conditions of the race.

It either lasts for the smallest number of laps which exceeds 305km (190 miles) or for two hours.

The chequered flag is shown to the leader at the end of the lap or at the end of the two hours.

The Race

30 minutes before the start of the race:

The pit exit is opened, this allows the cars to go onto the circuit. The pit lane closes 15 minutes later.

The cars can go through the pits, keeping to the speed limit, to do another lap, if they miss the pit entrance they must take up their grid position.

Any car still in the pits when the pit exit closes must start from the pit lane.

10 minutes before the start of the race:

Only drivers and official and team members must be left on the grid

One minute before the start the race:

Engines are started and all technical staff leave the grid.

In the event of rain

If it begins to rain after the five-minute board but before the formation lap, a "start delayed" board is shown and the starting procedure will begin at the 15-minute stage.

If the weather changes during the starting procedure.

The track conditions are checked by the Clerk of the course.

If the Clerk of the course thinks it is too wet for safety reasons the start will be delayed.

A "10 minute" board with a red background will be shown to the drivers, as well as abort lights on the start line.

If conditions improve at the end of the 10-minute period another "10 minute" board, this time with a green background, will then be shown. This means the race will start in ten minutes time.

Five minutes after the "10 minute" board with a green background is shown, the starting procedure signals (warnings counting down from 5,3,1 minutes, 30 seconds) will begin.

If the weather conditions do not improve in the ten minutes since the board with the red background was shown then it will be shown again and the starting procedure will be delayed for a further ten minutes.

This procedure may be repeated several times.

In exceptional circumstances it may be decided to start the race behind the safety car.

In which case the safety car's yellow revolving lights will be turned on five minutes before the start to warn the drivers.

There will be no formation lap and the race will begin when the leading car crosses the start line, but there is no overtaking allowed (unless unavoidable) for the first lap.

If the start goes ahead as normal, the green light is shown for the drivers to start the formation/parade lap.

All cars must stay in the starting order, all overtaking is forbidden.

Any overtaking will result in disqualification. When the formation lap is finished all cars take up their grid position.

Problems before the start

If, after returning to the starting grid at the end of the formation lap, a drivers' engine stops and he is unable to start the car, he must immediately raise his hands above his head and the marshal responsible for that row must immediately wave a yellow flag.

If the start is delayed, a marshal with a yellow flag will stand in front of the car concerned to prevent it from moving until the whole field has left the grid for the repeat formation lap.

The driver's mechanics may work on the car to allow it to join the formation lap at the back.

If the car is unable to start it may be pushed to the pits to be worked on once more and may start from there if not ready to join the back of the grid or still out on the track when the one second light comes on.

The other cars will maintain their grid positions and the vacant position(s) will not be filled.

If one or more driver is in this situation, their new positions at the back of the grid will be determined in accordance with their relative qualifying positions.

If after returning to the grid after the formation lap another problem arises, one of four procedures will be followed:

a) If the race hasn't been started, the abort lights will be switched on, all engines stopped and a new formation lap will start five minutes later (with the race distance reduced by one lap).

b) If the race has been started the marshals alongside the grid will wave their yellow flags to inform the drivers that a car is stationary on the grid.

c) If after the start a car is immobilised on the grid, the marshalls will push it to the pit lane. The driver may rejoin if he is able to re-start it whilst being pushed.

d) If the driver is unable to start the car as in c), his mechanics may attempt to start it in the pits. If it starts it may rejoin the race when stipulated by the race officials

To start the race:

Five red lights have to be illuminated one at a time. All the lights will be extinguished for the race to begin.

During the race

Communication

Drivers and Teams may only communicate during a race by means of messages on a pit board, a gesture from the driver, telemetry signals from the car to the pits, lap trigger signals from the pits to the car and by two-way radio.

Cars restarting

If the driver requires any assistance in restarting or moving the car in order to rejoin the race, the driver will be excluded.

Cars stopping on the track

If a driver has to leave his car he must replace the steering wheel and leave the car in neutral before leaving the vehicle for the stewards to remove.

At the end of the race:

All cars must go to the scrutineering bay (Parc Ferme) and all the drivers are weighed in.

The three winners go to the podium for the presentations and then on to the conference room.

Points

Points for both titles will be awarded at each event according to the following scale:

1st 10 points
2nd 8 points
3rd 6 points
4th 5 points
5th 4 points
6th 3 points
7th 2 points
8th 1 point

Dead Heat

In the case of a dead heat, the points will be all the positions of the competitors who tie and shared equally.

Classification

All cars are classified, taking into account the number of laps they have covered, and for those who have completed the same number of laps, the order they crossed the line.

If a car takes more than twice the time of the winner's fastest lap to cover its last lap, this last lap will not be taken into account when calculating the total distance covered.

Cars which have covered lass than 90 percent of the number of laps covered by the winner (rounded down to the nearest whole number of laps), will not be classified.

Stopping the race

The race will be stopped only if the circuit is blocked by an accident, or because weather or other conditions make it dangerous to continue.

The clerk of the course takes the decision and the abort lights at the and red flags will be shown simultaneously.

If the race has been going for less than two full laps and the race can be restarted, all cars may be worked and the race will re-start, whilst the original start will be deemed null and void.

If it has been going for over two full laps and it can be restarted, half points will be awarded for the race as it finished and the other half of the race will be started when possible.

This will be shorter than the original race, less the first part and only those who completed the first part may compete.

The remaining points are awarded for the result of the second part of the race.

If 75 percent or more laps have been completed the race is deemed finished and all points are awarded.

Incidents

Incident means any occurence or series of occurances involving one or more drivers, or any action by any driver, which is reported to the stewards by the race director which:

- necessitated the stopping of the race (as the track was blocked or partially blocked);
- consitituted a breach of the Sporting Regulations or the Code;
- caused a false start by one or more cars;
- caused an avoidable collision;
- forced a driver off the track;
- illegitimately prevented a legitimate overtaking manoeuvre by a driver;
- illegitimately impeded another driver during overtaking.

It shall be at the discretion of the stewards to decide, upon a report or a request by the race director, if a driver or drivers involved in an incident shall be penalised.

The stewards may impose a time penalty on any driver involved in an incident.

Should the stewards decide to impose a time penalty, the following procedure must be followed:

a) The stewards shall, no later than 25 minutes after the incident, give written notification of the penalty to the team concerned.

The penalty and the time of the steward's decision will be displayed on all timing monitors.

b) Subject to e), from the time the steward's decision is notified the relevant driver may cover no more than three complete laps before entering the pits to take the penalty.

During the penalty, the car may not be worked on, unless the engine stops, in which case it may be started after the time penalty is finished.

c) When the time penalty has elapsed the driver may rejoin the race.

Any breach or failure to comply may result in the car being excluded.

d) If an Incident for which a time penalty is imposed occurs within 12 or less complete laps to the finish of the race, the stewards have the right to add it to the final race time of the driver.

 FORMULA ONE TECHNICAL REGULATIONS

Engines

The Formula One engine capacity must not exceed 3000cc and the maximum number of cylinders allowed is 12. The engine must also be normally aspirated.

Only one engine may be used during the whole race weekend.

Any engine trouble on Friday or Saturday requiring the engine to be changed will result in the respective driver being moved 10 positions to the rear of the starting grid for the race.

Gearbox

Minimum four-speed transmission, maximum seven-speed. Reverse gear compulsory. Four-wheel drive cars are forbidden.

Width

The overall width of the car must not exceed 180cm.

The wings may not exceed 140cm at the front and 100cm at the rear.

Also the front wing may not exceed the front-wheel axis by more than 90cm.

Weight

The weight of the car and the driver must not be less than 600 kg.

Height

A maximum of 95cm overall- excepting rollover structures, which must be shaped to have any significant aerodynamic influence on the car's performance.

The maximum height of the rear wing is 80cm.

Tyres

All tyres must incorporate circumferential grooves around the entire tyre (parallel to the car).

Each front and back dry tyre must have four grooves. The front tyre tread must not exceed 270mm.

Drivers can have a choice of 32 dry tyres and 28 wet tyres which are different compounds. Before qualifying they must decide which type of compound tyres they are going to use. They are permitted 16 tyres only for qualifying.

Wheels

A maximum of 380mmcm in width and 660mm in diameter. The number of wheels is fixed at four.

Fuel

Refuelling is allowed and there is no limit on how much fuel is used, although it is subject to approval before an event from the FIA by submitting a sample for analysis.

No oil replenishment is allowed during a race.

As of 1999 the engine oil system breather must feed directly into the airbox to avoid oil being deposited on the track.

Race requirements

All cars must be fitted with either two cameras, two camera housings or one of each at all times throughout any event.

All cars must be fitted with a timing transponder supplied by the officially appointed timekeepers.

Driver Aids

Electronic aids such as traction control and active suspension are not allowed, nor are anti-lock power brakes, four wheel drive or supercharging the engine.

All cars must have at least two mirrors mounted so that the driver has visibility to the rear and both sides of the car.

Driver Protection and Safety

Energy absorbing rear impact structures had to be fitted for the 1997 season.

An ADR (Accident Data Recorder) is also fitted to the car to give out information on what happened to the car before and during an accident.

This will enable the FIA to make advances in driver protection.

Drivers must wear two 75mm wide shoulder straps, one abdominal strap and two straps between the legs - which should be securely fixed to the car.

All cars must be equipped with three headrest areas of specific material, thickness and position.

All cars must have two rollover structures of a specific position, thickness and are subject to passing FIA testing.

The steering wheel must be fitted with a quick release mechanism.

Its method of release must be by pulling a concentric flange installed on the steering column behind the wheel.

From a normal seating position, with all seat belts fastened, and whilst wearing his usual driving equipment, a driver must be able to remove the steering wheel and get out of the car within five seconds and then replace the steering wheel within a total of 10 seconds.

All cars must be fitted with a fire extinguishing system, which will discharge into the cockpit and into the engine compartment.

The driver must be able to cut off all the electrical circuits to the ignition, all fuel pumps and rear light by means of a spark-proof circuit breaker switch - which must be located and specifically marked on the dashboard.

As of 1999 the drivers' seat must be totally removeable and the neutral switch must be positioned and specifically marked for easier steward's access.

CHANGES FOR 2003 SEASON:

Race Weekends:

Drivers will have only one lap to determine their grid position. A session on Friday will determine the order for the Saturday session which will define grid positions for the race.

• Teams will have to start the race with the same fuel load that they use in qualifying. That could lead to huge variations in grids as some smaller teams sacrifice race performance in favour of the profile afforded to the front of the grid.

   

• The points system has been changed. The winner will still get 10 points, but drivers down to eighth place will now score points in a system that goes 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.

   

• Team orders have been banned

   

• Teams can sign up for extra running at race weekends if they agree to limit their testing to 10 days during the season.

   

• Tyre manufacturers can now custom-make tyres for each of their teams, as opposed to only two types of tyres for all their teams.

  Technical:

  Since its meeting with the Formula One team principals on 15 January, the FIA has held two meetings with the teams’ technical directors.

  At the second of these meetings, independent electronics experts and the teams’ own electronics specialists were present.

  After discussion of the financial and other effects of the measures announced on 15 January (see below), the FIA informed the teams it intended to implement these measures as follows:

   

• pit to car telemetry - eliminated with immediate effect

   

• car to pit telemetry - eliminated from 2004 and a standard data logger introduced at the same time (immediate implementation would not save money because the limiting factor is the data acquisition system. This cannot be eliminated from a car in the short term)

   

• radio communication between team and driver to be allowed provided (i) the system is stand-alone and cannot transmit other data and (ii) the communications are open and accessible to the FIA and broadcasters. The possibility of a standard system accessible to the public at a Grand Prix is being explored

   

• a third car will only be used if a race car is damaged beyond repair. If a race car fails just before the start, any spare car will start from the pit lane, as will a spare car used following a race stoppage in the first two laps

   

• cars will be held under parc fermé conditions between qualifying and the race, but can be kept in a team’s garage under supervision. Any work other than a very restricted list will require special authorisation

   

• traction control and automatic gearboxes will no longer be allowed from half way through the season - ie from the 2003 British Grand Prix

   

• launch control will end at the same time provided the teams can all operate their current clutches manually;

   

• following the meeting the FIA is satisfied that the absence of traction control, launch control and fully automatic gearboxes can be proved using a combination of new technology and extra (FIA) sensors. Software inspection remains available to the FIA as a back-up if needed. It will therefore not be necessary to introduce a standard ECU in 2004.

  Spare Cars

  Between 10.00 and 16.00 on the day before first practice two cars per Team will undergo initial scrutineering. No further cars will be scrutineered unless, in the opinion of the FIA Technical Delegate, one of the above two is deemed beyond repair after being damaged in an accident on the track.

  Any mechanical failure on one of the two cars scrutineered which occurs prior to the end of the second qualifying session will not be considered grounds for use of a spare car.

  If a car is damaged beyond repair and a spare car is used between free and qualifying practice this spare car will become the relevant driver’s race car. If the original car is subsequently repaired it will become the spare and be re-scrutineered if needed as laid out below.

  The FIA Technical Delegate will normally carry out the bulk of the scrutineering checks on any spare car present between warm up and the race. If any cars are needed before the start of the race, final checks will be carried out and scrutineering stickers issued accordingly.

  In order to ensure that no Team needing to use a spare car is disadvantaged as a result of any unforeseen delay in scrutineering, the stickers will not become valid, and no spare car may enter the pit lane, until the pit exit is closed for the race.

  If a driver uses a spare car under these circumstances no restrictions on fuel load will be applied and, if the FIA Technical Delegate feels it is not feasible to fit the tyres used for qualifying, tyres may be changed.

  If a race car is damaged in an accident which necessitated a race stoppage within the first two laps a spare car may only be used if the FIA Technical Delegate is satisfied that the original car cannot be repaired in time for the re-start.

  In order that he may establish whether or not a car is damaged beyond immediate repair the scrutineering stickers already issued will be invalid from the time the race was stopped until the time at which the pit exit closes for the re-start.

  In accordance with Article 156 of the Sporting Regulations any driver forced to start from the pit lane after the first start will be able to start from his original grid position at the re-start in either car.

  As cars are not specifically assigned to drivers they may use either of the two cars their Team has presented for initial scrutineering. However, if a driver changes car at any time after the second qualifying practice session, he must start the race with the same amount of fuel that remained in his original car following the second qualifying session.

  This will be established by weighing the car and comparing it with that taken during the second qualifying session, no variation greater than 3kg will be permitted.

  Furthermore, if there is any reason to suspect that a change of car was carried out systematically, or for reasons other than mechanical failure of the original car, the Team concerned will be reported to the Stewards of the Meeting under Article 149 of the Sporting Regulations.

  Screens and Covers

  From the beginning of scrutineering onwards, no screen, cover or other obstruction which in any way obscures any part of a car will be allowed at any time in the garages, pit lane or grid, unless we are satisfied that any such covers are needed solely for mechanical reasons, which could, for example, include protecting against fire.

  In an attempt to be clear, and in addition to the above, the following are not permitted:

   

• engine, gearbox or radiator covers whilst engines are being changed or moved around the garage ;

   

• covers over the spare wings when they are on a stand in the pit lane not being used ;

   

• parts such as spare floors, fuel rigs or tool trolleys may not be used as an obstruction.

  The following are permitted:

   

• covers which are placed over damaged cars or components;

   

• a transparent tool tray, no more than 50mm deep, placed on top of the rear wing ;

   

• warming or heat retaining covers for the engine and gearbox on the grid ;

   

• a rear wing cover designed specifically to protect a mechanic starting the car from fire ;

   

• a cover over the car in the pit lane or grid if it is raining.

  Qualifying:

  The following procedure will be used in both qualifying sessions:

   

• Each driver will be given 30 seconds to join the track; this will be signalled by the pit exit light turning green. The first green light will be shown at 14.00.

   

• As each driver starts his flying lap, other than those 5th, 10th and 15th in sequence, the pit exit light will be turned green for 30 seconds for the following driver.

   

• The pit exit light for the 6th, 11th and 16th cars in sequence will be turned green for 30 seconds when the previous car enters the pits after completing three laps. If the 5th, 10th or 15th car in sequence enters the pits before completing three laps the pit exit light for the following car will be turned green one minute later.

   

• Any driver failing to leave the pits in the allotted 30 seconds, for any reason, will not be permitted to take any further part in that qualifying session. Under these circumstances, the green light for the next car in sequence will be turned on two minutes later.

   

• If a car stops on its out lap, the green light for the following car will be shown when the stopped car is in a safe place. The driver waiting to go out will be given at least two minutes warning before the lights are turned green to allow him to leave the pits. The stopped driver will not be able to take any further part in that qualifying session.

   

• If a car stops on its flying lap red flags will be displayed around the circuit and the other car on the track must enter the pits.

  Under normal circumstances the pit exit light will be turned green five minutes after the signal to stop was given and the car which returned to the pits will be permitted a further attempt to qualify.

  The driver who has stopped will not be permitted to take any further part in that qualifying session. Under these circumstances the car entering the pits may refuel and change tyres, five minutes will also be added to the session time.

   

• Other than any car required to enter the pits if the session is stopped, any car returning to the pits without completing three laps will not be permitted to join the track again. Any such car will not normally be required in the weighing area or parc fermé.

   

• If, in the opinion of the stewards, a driver deliberately stops on the circuit or impedes another driver in any way, his qualifying time from the relevant session will be cancelled.

   

• If one or more cars fail to record a time during the first session they will start their second qualifying session laps in first session order reversed.

   

• If one or more cars fail to record a time during the second session they will start the race in second session order reversed.

   

• All cars entering the pits after completing three laps will be required to stop in the weighing area for technical checks. After weighing, the scrutineers will then move the cars to the central FIA parc fermé, the procedures thereafter are laid out below.

  The FIA reserve the right to amend this qualifying procedure should it become necessary in the light of experience.

  As drivers will only be permitted 30 seconds to leave the pits to complete each of their qualifying runs we will permit working in the fast lane of the pits immediately before and during both qualifying sessions.

  Cars may only be taken to the pit exit five minutes before they are due to start their qualifying run and, under normal circumstances, we will expect any such work to be restricted to starting the engine and any associated last minute preparation.

  For the avoidance of doubt, any car leaving the pits may pass another which is stationary in the fast lane but, all Team personnel working on a car in the fast lane must ensure that other cars are able to leave the pits unhindered.

  Post-Qualifying Parc Fermé

  The following procedure will apply for the Parc Fermé:

  General:

  The parc fermé procedure has two purposes. First, to check the cars for general conformity with the Technical and Sporting Regulations and, secondly, to ensure that in each case the car which is scrutineered, qualified and raced is one and the same.

  Any car which did not take part in, or complete a flying lap in the second qualifying practice session will not normally be needed in the parc fermé.

  Accordingly, the cars will be deemed to be in parc fermé from the end of their qualifying lap on Saturday until the green lights are illuminated at the start of the formation lap (for clarity, in the event of a delayed start or a race stoppage we refer here only to the first formation lap).

  Between these times Teams may carry out the following work:

   

• cooling devices may be fitted;

   

• bodywork may be removed and / or cleaned;

   

• cosmetic changes may be made to the bodywork;

   

• any part of the car may be cleaned;

   

• any parts which are removed from the car in order to carry out any work specifically permitted below must remain close to it and, at all times, be visible to the scrutineer assigned to the relevant car ;

  For safety reasons, no fuel may be added to or removed from the car between the second qualifying session and the race. This will avoid the danger that in a search for extra performance during qualifying, the car could be assembled in a manner which, while optimum for qualifying with a minimal fuel load, might be unsuitable or even dangerous at the start of the race.

  Immediately after entering the pits:

  All cars which complete a flying lap during the