F1 DIGEST THEMONTH’SBIGSTORIESAT AGLANCE
INSIDER
18 F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019
13.10.19 Renault ECUs and steering
wheels impounded after
brake-bias system protest
17.10.19 Legality of Ferrari’s engine
questioned by rival teams18.10.19 Reverse-grid qualifying race
trials abandoned as teams
veto the concept
3.10.19 Renault disqualified from
Japanese Grand Prix over
brake-bias system
29.10.19 FIA to review placement of
Tecpro barriers at Mexican
GP venue
31.10.19 Teams warned that breaches
of cost-cap rules will have
“serious consequences”
01.11.19 Renault recruits ex-Ferrari
aerodynamicist Dirk de Beer
and ex-McLaren engineer PatFry as Enstone undergoes a
technical reshuffle
01.11.19 Planning permission granted
for new Racing Point factory
02.11.19 FIA clarifies fuel-flow rules
after Red Bull query
12.11.19 Alex Albon confirmed at
Red Bull for 2020PICTURES:SIMONGALLOWAY;JERRYANDRE;ZAKMAUGER;MARKSUTTONForthefirsttime,the governing bodyisgoing to
impose limitson spending withina regulatoryframework.
Sanctionsfor breakingthe ruling willlead to sporting
penalties –depending onthe severity ofthe breach.
The objectiveof the budget cap is topromo te a
competitivebalance and sporting fairness and toensurePICTURES
ISABUDGET
CAPWORKABLE?
02
Theteamsallseemto
beinagreement(above).
Eyebrows(below)area
newtechnical chan ge03
HOWWILL
THESPORTING
RULES CHANGE?
Given the proposed expansion to 25 races after 2020 and
the effectthe a dditionaltrave l will have on personnel, F
plans to counter that by bringingdown time at the track
from four to three days. Press and PR commitments, as
well as scrutineering, will take place on a Friday morning
in 2021, while two (potentially shorter) practice sessions
will run on Friday afternoon. In addition,the number of
working hours at thetrack will be reduced, so the curfew
for personnel will be much tighter.
The other significant sporting change for 2021 isa
regulation which states the car that is scrutineered at the
start of the weekend will be the specification of car that is
raced. New bodywork elements, such as front wings, will
only be allowed to betria lled in practice, but cannot be
raced onthe same weekend.
“This is to stop the proliferation of building manyparts
in the hope that one works,” says F1’s managing director
of motorsport Ross Brawn. “We’re doing somesensible
housekeeping on the waywe operate during a race
weekend to take a lot of strain [and costs] offthe teams.”
This cost-cutting exercise will be aided by reductions in
dyno testing, CFD simulations andwindtunnel testing.
Before the announcement there had been discussion
over otherways of changing theweekend format, such
as introducing qualifying races or reversed grids. Pat
Symonds says alternatives are still being looked at.
“We’ve had some really good meetingswith the teamstrategists looking at differentforma ts and that’sa
process thatwill continue,” Symonds adds. “Some of
the traditionalists need to realise the world is changing
around them and we needto change with it. Most other
sports have realised that and havegrown their fanbase.”F1 DIGEST THEMONTH’SBIGSTORIESAT AGLANCE
INSIDER
18 F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019
13.10.19 Renault ECUs and steering
wheels impounded after
brake-bias system protest
17.10.19 Legality of Ferrari’s engine
questioned by rival teams18.10.19 Reverse-grid qualifying race
trials abandoned asteams
veto the concept
3.10.19 Renault disqualified from
Japanese Grand Prixover
brake-bias system
29.10.19 FIA to review placement of
Tecpro barriers at Mexican
GP venue
31.10.19 Teams warned that breaches
of cost-cap rules will have
“serious consequences”
01.11.19 Renault recruits ex-Ferrari
aerodynamicist Dirkde Beer
and ex-McLaren engineer PatFry as Enstone undergoes a
technical reshuffle
01.11.19 Planning permission granted
for new Racing Point factory
02.11.19 FIA clarifies fuel-flow rules
after Red Bull query
12.11.19 Alex Albon confirmed at
Red Bull for 2020PICTURES:SIMONGALLOWAY;JERRYANDRE;ZAKMAUGER;MARKSUTTONForthefirsttime,the governing bodyisgoing to
impose limitson spending withina regulatoryframework.
Sanctionsfor breakingthe ruling willlead to sporting
penalties –depending onthe severity ofthe breach.
The objectiveof the budget cap is topromo te a
competitivebalance and sporting fairness and toensurePICTURES
ISABUDGET
CAPWORKABLE?
02
Theteamsallseemto
beinagreement(above).
Eyebrows(below)area
newtechnical chan ge03
HOWWILL
THESPORTING
RULES CHANGE?
Given the proposed expansion to 25 races after 2020 and
the effectthe a dditionaltrave l will have on personnel, F
plans to counter that by bringingdown time at the track
from four to three days. Press and PR commitments, as
well as scrutineering, will take place on a Friday morning
in 2021, while two (potentially shorter) practice sessions
will run on Friday afternoon. In addition,the number of
working hours at thetrack will be reduced, so the curfew
for personnel will be much tighter.
The other significant sporting change for 2021 isa
regulation which states the car that is scrutineered at the
start of the weekend will be the specification of car that is
raced. New bodywork elements, such as front wings, will
only be allowed to betria lled in practice, but cannot be
raced onthe same weekend.
“This is to stop the proliferation of building manyparts
in the hope that one works,” says F1’s managing director
of motorsport Ross Brawn. “We’re doing somesensible
housekeeping on the waywe operate during a race
weekend to take a lot of strain [and costs] offthe teams.”
This cost-cutting exercise will be aided by reductions in
dyno testing, CFD simulations andwindtunnel testing.
Before the announcement there had been discussion
over otherways of changing theweekend format, such
as introducing qualifying races or reversed grids. Pat
Symonds says alternatives are still being looked at.
“We’ve had some really good meetingswith the teamstrategists looking at differentforma ts and that’sa
process thatwill continue,” Symonds adds. “Some of
the traditionalists need to realise the world is changing
around them and we needto change with it. Most other
sports have realised that and havegrown their fanbase.”