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Formula One Update: New Rules for 2011

FIA's World Motor Sport Council has come up with new set up rules that are expected to improve racing and make it more unbiased. A few of the important rules that come into effect next season are a new single tyre supplier, aerodynamic revisions designed to boost overtaking, a ban on F-ducts, and the return of a 107% qualifying rule..

When the next season arrives, the F1 drivers will have to take care of even stricter rules to get the best out of their cars. The drivers, who are busy this season adjusting their front wings and the very famous F-duct, will have to take care of the rear wing as well to get ahead of their competitors.

The 107 per cent qualification rule has been reintroduced. This means that any driver not setting a qualifying time within 107% of the fastest Q1 lap will not be permitted to race might. Some cause of worry to the rookie teams. Promoting the KERS and greener technology from next season, FIA has inevitably increased the maximum weight of the cars to 640kg to accommodate the extra bulk. And the most controversial of them all states that cars required to give a post-session fuel sample must arrive back in pit lane under their own power.

Here is a list of new rules compile by the FIA for the 2011 season.

Tyres

Following Bridgestone's decision to withdraw at the end of the current season, the FIA has selected Pirelli as the single tyre supplier for the Formula One World Championship for a period of three years that starts from 2011. The sole tyre supplier will strictly abide by the sporting and technical regulations implemented by the F1 governing body.

"Competitor's Staff" FIA Licence

The Formula One Commission has received a proposal relating to specific licences for members of staff of competitors entered in the FIA World Championships. This is currently under consideration for implementation in the upcoming FIA Formula One World Championship. If it gets sanctioned, chances are high that it will be implemented in the future too.

Safety Car

Now, this rule comes in effect almost immediately. According to this rule, no car may overtake until it has passed the first safety car line for the first time when the safety car is returning to the pits. Although, if the safety car is still deployed at the beginning of the last lap, or is deployed during the last lap, it will enter the pit lane at the end of the lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.

General safety

With immediate effect, any car that is being driven unnecessarily slow, erratically, or which is considered potentially dangerous to other cars or drivers, will be reported to the stewards. This will apply whether any such car is being driven on the track, the pit entry or the pit lane.

In order to make sure that cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on in-laps during qualifying or reconnaissance laps when the pit exit is opened for the race, drivers are required to keep below the maximum time set by the FIA between the safety car line after the pit exit and safety car line before the pit entry. The race director decides the maximum time at each event prior to the first day of practice, but may also amend during the event if necessary.

The grid

From the next F1 season, if any driver exceeds the best qualifying lap by more than 107% of the fastest Q1 qualifying time, he will not be allowed to participate in the race. But, under exceptional situations, such as setting a suitable lap time in a free practice session, the steward may decide to permit the car to start the race. And if there are more than one driver selected in this fashion, the steward decides on the grid order.

Driver Adjustable Bodywork

According to the new moveable bodywork regulations for the next season, drivers will be allowed, for the primary purpose of enhancing overtaking opportunities, to adjust the rear wing and other adjustable bodywork from the cockpit as soon as they are two laps into the race. But, the systems availability be electronically controlled, and will be activated when the driver is than one second behind another at pre-determined points on the track. The system will then be deactivated once the driver brakes. It will be available at all times throughout practice and qualifying. The FIA may, after consulting all the competitors, adjust the time proximity in order to ensure the purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.

Aerodynamic influence

Any car systems or devices or procedure that uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car have been prohibited in the 2011 season. However, the parts necessary for the driver adjustable bodywork have been exempted from this rule.

Weight

Here is another one that is bound to have a severe effect on the drivers' performances. Next season onwards, the cars must maintain a minimum weight of no less than 640 kg at all times during the event.

Fuel draining

With immediate effect, if a sample of fuel is required after a practice session the car concerned must have first been driven back to the pits under its own power.

Licences

Based on his impressive career resume and comparative F1 testing times, the World Council has approved the granting of a four-race probationary super license to Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung.

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