The FIA adopts the cockpit cooling system and will tighten the starting grid if an F1 is absent
The FIA has just unveiled a report of its last committee meeting held on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Several points of the 2025 F1 regulations were discussed, including tightening up the starting grid if a driver is absent and possibly organizing a sprint race for young drivers.
Following the last F1 commission held by the FIA this Wednesday, several changes have been confirmed in the F1 2025 regulations. They have not been published yet, but the FIA has already mentioned some information.
Better cooling of the pilots’ cockpit
During the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, drivers experienced high temperatures in the cockpit, leading to several cases of discomfort upon exiting their seats. To prevent this, the FIA urgently requested teams to implement a cooling solution integrated into the cockpit. These tests, carried out this season, met the drivers’ expectations, and the 2025 regulations will now take the system into account in their next update.
The commission approved a series of technical modifications for the 2025 season, including the introduction of a cooling kit for the drivers, which will be activated in case of high temperatures, following encouraging test results.
The FIA has not specified for the moment the other technical modifications, which will be known when the 2025 technical regulations are updated, in the coming days, or even weeks.
Re-arrange the starting grid when a car is missing.
During the last Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, Lance Stroll and Alex Albon were missing from the starting grid due to various problems. An accident for Lance Stroll during the formation lap and a lack of time for the Williams mechanics to repair Albon’s car before the race.
As a result, the positioning of the drivers on the grid was questioned, and some did not know whether they could move forward by one position or not. The FIA answered these questions by specifying that in 2025, drivers will be able to move forward if the car in front is not present.
Following the discussions initiated during the recent São Paulo Grand Prix, the commission confirmed a revised protocol to tighten the grid when a team decides to withdraw a car.
A sprint race dedicated to young drivers
Regarding the organization of a race specifically dedicated to young drivers, the FIA has not approved the initiative for the next season. Based on the tests conducted in 2025, it could therefore be implemented in 2026.
« The sprint race initiative for beginners has also been reviewed. The committee remains interested in this concept and plans to explore it further in 2025 with the aim of setting up a sprint race for beginners in 2026. »
Finally, regarding the financial regulations, the FIA commented that it has extended the exclusions of costs in the budget cap, which concerns sustainable development. The commission approved additional measures to extend the exclusion of costs related to sustainability initiatives in the framework of financial regulations for 2025.
