The FIA is lifting the ban on tire warmers for the sake of the show
Electric blankets were supposed to be banned in Formula 1 next season. However, due to the issue of Pirelli tire exploitation, the authorities have backtracked, despite the carbon neutrality objective.
The ban on heated blankets in F1 should have been implemented in 2023. Delayed until 2024, finally, the FIA gives up on the idea. The goal was to reduce electricity consumption by avoiding the unnecessary heating of dozens of tires throughout Grand Prix weekends in the paddock. However, due to difficulties in getting the tires heated and their operating range remaining unpredictable and delicate, the FIA has changed its mind.
The F1 commission was held this week, in the presence of the teams, the Formula 1 director, and the FIA. The statement explains that the objective will be to reduce overheating issues in order to improve the spectacle and the ability to drive at high speeds.
The Commission has agreed that the direction of future tire development should focus on reducing overheating issues and improving tire racing capacity.
The ban on heated blankets was going against this principle, which takes priority over energy savings. Therefore, the decision has been made to keep the blankets for 2025 and to remove the relevant appendices from the Sporting and Technical Regulations that required a later decision in July 2024.
Regarding the number of tires allocated for a Grand Prix weekend, tests were conducted this season to reduce it to 11 sets of tires per car per race weekend, compared to 13 in 2023. This solution seemed too drastic for the teams, and a compromise of 12 sets of tires per race and per car appeared to be the right one. However, the commission ultimately decided to maintain the current situation.
Following the attempt of an alternative tire allocation during two events this season, the Commission has decided to stick with the 13 standard sets of dry tires for the 2024 season, with the removal of relevant sections of the Regulations concerning the ATA (Tire Allocations).
A tire usage problem
The teams are struggling to optimize their tire usage and, above all, today they have to control this phenomenon to the detriment of maximizing their pure speed. On the other hand, for example, Ferrari has a car that needs low temperatures to fully exploit the potential of its tires as they tend to heat up quickly. In contrast, Red Bull needs higher temperatures as the car saves its tires a lot. These differences in philosophy and understanding of how to use the tires lead to differences in performance during races that are not directly related to the engine or aerodynamics, but to another factor: tire management.
The philosophy of Formula 1 is not however a race in management, but on the contrary, a race in performance. The commission seems to agree that in order to improve the show, F1 must allow the cars to be pushed to their limits. And that is good news for the future.
