FIA optimizes F1 incident management with intelligent circuit mapping
A further step has been taken to ensure the safety of drivers and marshals. The FIA will develop and supply cards enabling engineers to guide their drivers to an area of the track if they break down or have a problem.
The FIA takes a new step in managing incidents in Formula 1 by introducing intelligent circuit mapping, a technical innovation designed to minimize safety car interventions. Officially deployed starting this weekend in Suzuka, this approach relies on statistical analysis of incidents from the past year and precise mapping of potential recovery zones, integrating spatial and operational data.
The origin of this initiative was born from a study following safety car interventions observed during the 2024 season. The data revealed an area for improvement: in many cases, the deployment of the car could have been avoided if the struggling single-seaters had been immobilized in areas accessible to marshals and evacuation equipment personnel.
The solution proposed by the FIA is realized by providing teams with an enriched circuit mapping, much more than just a simple track map. This so-called intelligent mapping precisely identifies and locates optimal stopping zones.
Absolute priority to safety: stop zones are chosen to provide a safe space for parking broken-down single-seaters, without risk to other drivers or marshals. They are also located near equipped marshal posts and easily accessible to recovery vehicles, with an angle minimizing track obstruction. Ensuring the safety of all people present on the track and its surroundings.
The FIA will communicate this map to the teams with the official documents for the race weekend, but the mapping is also physically materialized on the circuits with fluorescent orange ground markings. These markings, visible to the drivers, serve as visual cues to encourage them to prioritize these stopping zones in case of an issue.
Furthermore, the organization is working to add this data to the software used by the teams on the pit wall. This will allow race engineers to evaluate the driver’s position in real-time concerning optimal stopping zones and advise them accordingly in case of a technical or mechanical issue.
