FIA Updates Sporting Regulations Ahead Of 2025 Season Opener

Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, has introduced new regulations likely stemming from past incidents, such as Red Bull's former driver Sergio Perez's crash from the Canadian Grand Prix. Article 26.10 has been revised, which relates to the urgent clearance of car and debris from the racetrack in the event of a collision. Article 43.8 sees a change in the pit lane start procedure. The changes take effect for the 2025 season, which kicks off in Melbourne on March 16.

The revision of Article 26.10 aims to try to prevent an unfair advantage during Grands Prix, such as preventing a potential safety car deployment by having a damaged car return to the pits. During the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, Perez crashed his RB20 but drove it back to the pits, avoiding a safety car that could have impacted Max Verstappen’s race. Though Perez received a three-place grid penalty, the incident raised safety concerns. Now though, the updated rule provides race director Rui Marques the power to communicate to teams to pull over their damaged car if it is dangerous to continue the race. The updated article states:

"Any driver whose car has significant and obvious damage to a structural component which results in it being in a condition presenting an immediate risk of endangering the driver or others, or whose car has a significant failure or fault which means it cannot reasonably return to the pit lane without unnecessarily impeding another competitor or otherwise hindering the competition must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Article 43.8 has also been revised, and the updated rule mandates cars starting in the pit lane to take part in the formation lap with the other cars. The respective car will return to the pit after the formation lap and start at the end of the pit lane. This is being done to close an important loophole, where teams allegedly held back pit lane starters in their respective garages until the formation lap was over. The revised rule states:

“Once all cars on track have passed the end of the pit lane on the formation lap, the pit exit will be opened and all cars starting from the pit lane able to do so must leave the pit lane and join the formation lap.”

The FIA's move can be viewed as an attempt to close any potential gaps in the regulations that could offer an undue advantage to a team or driver during a Grand Prix with the potential to alter results.