Official: Double points and standing starts abandoned, possible return of the Korean GP
As part of the World Motor Sport Council, the FIA unveiled the list of decisions made. Surprisingly, South Korea is included in the provisional 2015 calendar.
The FIA announced the planned abandonment of double points during the last race of the season and the cancellation of the introduction of standing starts after a safety car. Regarding the calendar, the surprise is to see the date of May 3 reserved for a possible Korean GP.
ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING THE 2015 SCHEDULE
The Korean Grand Prix returns… to be confirmed
The first information from the World Council concerns the calendar. Announced for several months to have 20 dates, it actually counts 21 with the return of the Korean Grand Prix, scheduled for May 3rd, one week before the Spanish GP. However, this event is still subject to confirmation. If confirmed, the 2015 season would have 21 dates, making it the busiest season in Formula 1 history.
Announcements Regarding the 2015 Sporting Regulations
End of the doubling of points
As announced and quickly anticipated during the 2014 season, the double points awarded at the last GP are abandoned for 2015.
Abandonment of standing starts after the safety car
« After consulting the teams that raised safety concerns, articles 42.7 and 42.8 on standing starts have been repealed. »
Implementation of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC in English)
Following tests of the VSC system during the last GPs of 2014, the introduction of the system was approved for 2015. The VSC procedure can be initiated to neutralize a race at the race director’s order. It will normally be used when double yellow flags are necessary in a section of the track and competitors or officials are in danger, but the circumstances are not such that the safety car itself needs to be used.
Modification of the race suspension procedure
« When a race is suspended, the pit exit will be closed and all cars must now enter the pit lane slowly, not on the starting grid. The first car to reach the pit lane must proceed immediately to the pit exit by staying on the fast lane, and all other cars must form a line behind the first car. »
Changes concerning team personnel or equipment on the grid
« If any member or equipment of a team remains on the grid after the 15-second signal, the driver of the car in question must start from the pits. A 10-second penalty will be imposed on any driver who does not comply with this. »
Change in power unit-related penalties
The replacement of a complete power unit will no longer result in a direct penalty. It will be the penalties outlined in the current regulations for changing each element separately that will be accumulated.
If a starting grid penalty is imposed and it cannot be fully applied, the remainder will no longer be carried over from one GP to another but will be converted into a penalty to be served during the race (as for Romain Grosjean in Abu Dhabi).
Creation of a new time penalty
Alongside the existing 5-second penalty introduced this season, a 10-second time penalty will be implemented, applied in the same manner, i.e., if the penalty is not served during a pit stop, it will be added to the final race time.
More strictness concerning unsecured releases during pit stops
In the case of an unsafe release, a 10-second stop-and-go penalty will be imposed on the driver concerned. An additional penalty will be imposed on any driver who, in the opinion of the stewards, continues driving the car knowing that it was released in an unsafe manner in the pit lane.
The procedure in qualification clarified
To adapt to changes in the number of cars on the grid, it was specified that when 24 cars are running, 7 will be eliminated in Q1 and Q2; when 22 cars are running, 6 will be eliminated in Q1 and Q2; and when 20 cars are running, 5 will be eliminated in Q1 and Q2, and so on if fewer cars are present.
Modification of the safety car procedure
« Once the last lapped car has passed the leader, the safety car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap, the race director will no longer have to wait for all the lapped cars to rejoin the back of the pack behind the safety car. »
ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING THE 2015 TECHNICAL REGULATIONS
RENEWAL OF THE CRITERIA FOR ISSUING THE SUPER LICENSE
The Super License – an essential requirement for driving in official competitions, a Formula 1 – will be granted, starting from 2016, according to the following set of criteria:
A safety criterion
The license candidate must have their permit, must be at least 18 years old, and must pass an exam to verify their knowledge of F1 sporting regulations.
A criterion of experience
The candidate for the license must have covered 300 km in an F1 during tests with a current car or with a car from previous seasons. They must also have competed for at least two years in the lower categories.
A performance criterion
The candidate will have to go through a points system based on their results in the previous categories.
A NEW STRATEGIC GROUP MEETING ON DECEMBER 18th
The FIA President confirmed that the next Strategic Group meeting would take place on December 18 and would focus on cost reduction, improving the spectacle, making cars faster and more challenging to drive, and reviewing the sporting and technical regulations, with the aim of simplifying the rules where possible.
