Updated 2012 F1 Sporting and Technical regulations

GravyMonster · 7 Dec 2011 at 11:41

Changes to the 2012 Technical Regulations

• All engine standard ECU set up and control parameters, which were formerly contained only within a Technical Directive, are now contained within the relevant parts of the Technical Regulations.

• The exhaust tailpipes are now strictly regulated in order to ensure that the aerodynamic effect exhaust gases have on the car is kept to an absolute minimum.

• Better marking of in-car emergency switches operated by marshals are now stipulated.

• The side impact structures will now have to be subjected to a further (upward) push-off test.

Changes to the 2012 Sporting Regulations

• Cars may no longer take part in pre-season testing without having passed all crash tests.

• There will now be a maximum race time of four hours to ensure that a lengthy suspension of a race does not result in a race that could run up to eight hours if left unregulated.

• Before the safety car returns to the pits all lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join the back of the pack, ensuring a clean re-start without slower cars impeding those racing for the leading positions.

• Cars which were in the pit lane when a race is suspended will now be allowed to re-join the cars on the grid in the position they were in when the race was suspended.

• Drivers may no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason, i.e. cutting a chicane on reconnaissance laps or ‘in’ laps to save time and fuel.

• Drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position.

• One three-day test will be carried out during the season, formerly there were none.

• All stewards’ decisions which are not subject to appeal are now in one place instead of being in various places within the regulations.

• All tyres allocated to a driver may now be used on the first day of practice; formerly only three sets were permitted.

More info

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Good news about lapped cars being able to unlap themselves under a satey car restart and the return of in-season testing. Also the rule about no cutting on in-laps is obviously a response to Vettel in Korea in qualifying.

Skeeter · 7 Dec 2011 at 11:52

Spunkey said:
• Before the safety car returns to the pits all lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join the back of the pack, ensuring a clean re-start without slower cars impeding those racing for the leading positions.

They tried this before. It doesn't work. It adds far to much delay to getting a race going again.

• Drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position.

WTF?!

1 step away from "Drivers may not defend" if you ask me.

Mr Men · 7 Dec 2011 at 11:57

Can't understand why they can't move back onto the racing line, the current 1 move to defend works well.

Alpherah · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:02

Racing line thing seems daft to me =/
So we have KERS to aid in over taking, we have DRS to give somewhat artificial overtaking, and now they want to remove the ability to defend as well?

Skeeter · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:20

Its to stop people weaving down the straights.

I hope we don't get a season of people whining down the radio.

Mr Men · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:21

But the current rule stopped that anyway

Skeeter · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:22

Mr Men said:
But the current rule stopped that anyway

The current '1 move' rule applies only to the the braking zone. Weaving down the straights, while frowned upon, was not regulated against.

axer · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:26

Skeeter said:
Its to stop people weaving down the straights.

I hope we don't get a season of people whining down the radio.

You were only able to make 1 move to defend prior anyway though?

EDIT: Just seen your message above me, Ah!

Mr Jack · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:33

Skeeter said:
They tried this before. It doesn't work. It adds far to much delay to getting a race going again.

It was better than the current situation though. A driver who was a few seconds behind the car in front can suddenly end up with a sixty second gap after a safety car, and the lapped cars mess with the front runners getting a pop at each other.

I never understood why they removed the rule in the first place.

Is it being implemented the same as before where they have to wait until the hazard is cleared to pass the safety car or will they let them pass and just give them a delta their allowed to run to?

Mr Men · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:34

I think the unlap rule can be pretty unfair, say the leader has spent a few laps passing lapped cars, SC comes out then the 2nd place gains not only from the SC but having the lapped cars being moved out the way for them, losing them less time to pass.

Skeeter · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:37

Exactly.

If there were lapped cars between them before the SC, why should they be removed for after the SC?

And with the imposed SC speed limit it will take a good 2 or 3 laps for lapped cars to go past and then join the back of the queue. 2 or 3 laps of racing we get robbed of.

Mr Men · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:40

Yeah think it was Canada one year they took about 4 laps just to get back into order, why cant the lapped cars not just drop back down the order rather than going round to catch back up?

Mr Jack · 7 Dec 2011 at 12:56

Mr Men said:
why cant the lapped cars not just drop back down the order rather than going round to catch back up?

Good question.

Skeeter · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:31

Because then they aren't unlapping themselves, and it would get VERY messy getting them back into position.

TaKeN · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:44

That rule needs removing! This is motor racing

Who on earth thought to alter the rules on the racing line!?

Deleted member 651465 · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:45

Unlapping themselves - fine, I can live with that (not like safety car restarts are quick anyway!), but the whole "No moving back to the racing line" rule is so idiotic.

The attacking driver just has to wait for the defending move, then go sailing down the inside!

Skeeter · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:47

I can see some stupid appeals (I'm looking at you, Waaaaaaalonso) from drivers about people moving about on straights. So much so that this rule gets removed for being stupid.

Mr Men · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:34

Skeeter how about you don't start bringing drivers into this thread and turning it into another thread full of bickering. Your comment could easily be considered trolling as it does nothing but take the thread in another direction to the topic.

JonnyGLC · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:46

Mr Men said:
Skeeter how about you don't start bringing drivers into this thread and turning it into another thread full of bickering. Your comment could easily be considered trolling as it does nothing but take the thread in another direction to the topic.

What? He's made a comment with reference to one of the new regulations. How is that trolling?

Alpherah · 7 Dec 2011 at 15:03

Maybe the part where he calls Alonso a stupid name?

Updated 2012 F1 Sporting and Technical regulations

Deleted member 651465

Deleted member 651465