The numerous Formula One regulations, made and enforced by the FIA and later the FISA, have changed dramatically since the first Formula One World Championship in 1950. This article covers the current state of F1 technical and sporting regulations, as well as the history of the technical regulations since 1950.

Current rules and regulations

Technical

Chassis

An F1 car can be no more than 180 cm wide and 95 cm tall. Though there is no maximum length, other rules set indirect limits on these dimensions, and nearly every aspect of the car carries size regulations; consequently the various cars tend to be very close to the same size.

The car must only have four wheels mounted externally of the body work with only the front two steered and only the back two driven. There are minimum distances allowed between the wheels and the rear and front body work.

The main chassis contains a "safety cell" which includes the cockpit, a structure designed to reduce impact directly in front of the cockpit, and the fuel tank directly behind the cockpit. Additionally, the car must contain roll structures behind and ahead of the driver. The driver must be able to enter and exit the cockpit without any adjustments other than removing the steering wheel.

Onboard electrical and computer systems, once inspected at the start of the season, may not be changed without prior approval. Electronic starters and launch control are forbidden. The computers, which must contain a telemetric accident data reporting system, run a modified version of BSD.

Engine

Formula One engines must be naturally aspirated, four-stroke internal combustion petrol engines with reciprocating circular pistons and a maximum of two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder. They must be V8 engines and have a maximum displacement of 2.4 litres.

Devices designed to pre-cool air before it enters the cylinders are not allowed, nor is the injection of any substance into the cylinders other than air and (petrol) fuel.

Variable-length intake and exhaust systems are also forbidden.

The crankshaft and camshafts must be made of steel or cast iron. The use of carbon composite materials for the cylinder block, cylinder head and pistons is not allowed.

Kinetic energy recovery (hybrid technology) is permitted beginning in 2009 provided no more than 400 kJ is used in any one lap and no more than 60 kW (80 hp) in or out is permitted. In addition to one fully charged KERS the maximum recoverable energy stored on the car may not exceed 300 kJ.¹

Separate starting devices may be used to start engines in the pits and on the grid. If the engine is fitted with an anti-stall device, this must be set to cut the engine within ten seconds in the event of an accident.

Each driver is allowed to use up to eight engines during a season. A ten place starting grid penalty will be applied at each event where an additional engine is used.

Sporting

Parc fermé

After weighing during each qualifying session, teams are required to take their cars to a place in the paddock, sectioned off by the FIA, known as parc fermé; they may not do work on the cars, other than routine maintenance, until they are released from parc fermé for the race the next morning.

If a team must change a car's engine between parc fermé and the start of the race, the car will start at the back of the grid; if they must do other significant work, body work or suspension adjustments, the car will start from the pit lane.

Race procedure

See Formula One racing for a detailed schedule of a complete race weekend and further race information.

F1 Start Lights

The pit lane opens thirty minutes before the start of a race, during which time drivers may drive around the track as much as they like, driving through the pitlane each time around in order to avoid the grid. Drivers must be in their cars and in place on the grid by time the pit lane closes at -15:00; otherwise they must start the race from the pits. Meanwhile, teams may work on their cars on the grid.

At -10:00 the grid is cleared of everyone except team mechanics, race marshals, and drivers. A team will generally want to keep its tyres off their cars and heated in their tyre-warmers for as long as possible, but they must be attached to the cars by -3:00.

Engines must be running by -1:00; at fifteen seconds to the start all personnel must be clear of the track. Two green lights signify the start of the formation lap, also known as the parade lap, during which drivers must remain in the same order (no passing) except if a car ahead has stopped due to a technical problem, or has had an accident. The cars circle the track once, usually weaving from side to side to warm up their tyres, and form up again in their starting positions on the grid.

If, for some reason, a car cannot start the race (engine failure during qualifying or practice, suspension fails, etc), the car can still join the race, but will take a 10-position penalty at the start. For example, if the car qualifies in 3rd, but has to change an engine at any point during the race weekend prior to the actual race, the car will start from 13th position. For strategy's sake, teams will sometimes opt to start a car affected in this way from the pit lane. This means they start at the tail end of the grid; however, they can not only change an engine, but also start the race on a full load of fuel and with fresh tyres.

Gearboxes must be used for 4 consecutive events (counted as P3, the qualifying practice session and the race). A five place grid penalty will be incurred if a replacement gearbox is used.

The race is started by five red lights, controlled by FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting. The lights illuminate one at a time, left to right, in one-second intervals, and then go out simultaneously after an interval of between four and seven seconds. When the lights go out, the race begins. Should the start need to be aborted for any reason, all five red lights will come on as normal, but instead of going out, the three orange lights will flash. All engines are stopped and the start resumes from the five minute point. If a single driver raises his hand to indicate that he can't start, the marshall for that row will wave a yellow flag, then after a few seconds, both the red and orange lights will extinguish and the green lights will come on to indicate another formation lap.²

Scoring

The Driver's and Constructor's Championships are decided by points, which are awarded according to the place in which a driver classifies at each grand prix. To receive points a racer need not finish the race, but at least 90% of the winner's race distance must be completed. Therefore, it is possible for a driver to receive some points even though he retired before the end of the race. In that case the scoring is based on the distance completed in comparison to other drivers. It is also possible for the lower points not to be awarded (as at the 2005 United States Grand Prix) because insufficient drivers completed 90% of the winner's distance. The system was revised in 2003 and for the 2010 season because of the 4 new teams entering the sport. The 2010 scoring system will be :

For scoring systems prior to 2003, refer to the List of Formula One World Championship pointscoring systems.

Drivers finishing lower than tenth place receive no points.

If the race had for some reason to be abandoned before 75% of the planned distance (rounded up to the nearest lap) had been completed, then the points awarded are halved: 12.5, 9, 7.5, 5, 4, 3, 2.5, 1.5, 1, 0.5.

Points are awarded equally to the driver and his constructor; for example, if a driver for one team comes second, eighteen points are added to his season total; if his teammate finished third in the same race, he adds fifteen to his total and the team adds 33 (the sum of the drivers' points) to its total. The championships are awarded to whichever driver and constructor have the most points at the end of the season. In case of a tie, the FIA compares the number of times each driver has finished in each position. The championship goes to whichever had the greater number of wins; if they have the same number of wins, it goes to the driver with the greater number of second places, and so on. For example, if Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost are tied at the end of a season, and Prost had six wins and three second place finishes, but Senna had six wins and four second place finishes (even if he had fewer third places than Prost, etc.), Senna would be champion.

Flags

Race marshals, armed with a set of flags to give various messages to drivers, are positioned at numerous points around the track during every race. Flags have different meanings depending on their colour; the colours (with Pantone values as specified by the FIA) signify as follows:

Flag	Pantone Value	Description	Meaning
	YellowC	Yellow	A single yellow indicates danger ahead, such as debris from a crash. Drivers must slow down as they pass; no overtaking is permitted, unless it is unavoidable such as a driver retiring in the section, or a driver is lapped. Two waved yellows at the same post indicates great danger ahead. Drivers must slow down and be prepared to stop; no overtaking is permitted unless a driver is lapped. Yellow flags and the SC board indicates that the Safety car has been deployed.
	YellowC and Tag board «SC»	Yellow	The safety car is deployed on the track. Drivers must slow down, not overtake and be prepared to leave the normal racing line or even stop as a threat obstructs all or part of the track.
	348C	Green	A green flag indicates that any previous danger has been attended to. The track is now clear, and drivers may proceed at racing speed and may again overtake. When the race director so directs, this may be displayed during the parade lap or at the beginning of a practice session; in this case all marshals positions will signal green flags. Green flashing lights are used in addition in modern races.
	186C	Red	A red flag indicates that the race, practice session, or qualifying session has been suspended. All marshal stations will signal this. Drivers may not leave the pits. All drivers on the track must proceed cautiously to the red flag line and stop. There they will be reordered in their correct racing order. Sessions may be resumed or abandoned as the race director indicates. Flashing red lights are now used in addition to the flags. If the safety car is deployed, the racing cars should follow it and provisions allow for the safety car to divert the field into the pit-lane and wait there. Other than that, drivers who enter the pits will be given a drive-through.
	298C	Blue	At any time, a stationary light blue flag (or, as is now more common, a blue light) may be shown to a driver at the pit lane exit to warn them that cars are approaching on the track. During practice, a light blue flag waved on the track notifies a driver that a faster car is about to pass them and they must move aside. During a race, a light blue flag waved on the track warns the driver that they are about to be lapped by a faster car and must let it pass. A driver may incur penalties if they ignore three successive blue flags.
	White	White	A white flag indicates a slow-moving vehicle such as a retiring car, an ambulance or tow truck ahead on the track, and instructs drivers to slow down.
	BlackC	Black	A black flag orders a particular driver to return to his pit within the next lap and report immediately to the Clerk of the Course, usually because they have been disqualified from the race. The flag is accompanied by a board with the car number of the driver on it so no mistake is made.
	BlackC/White	Chequered	A black and white chequered flag signals the end of the race, practice session, or qualifying session. During the race it is shown first to the winner and then to the rest of the field as they finish; otherwise it is shown at a predetermined time.
	BlackC/White	Half black	A half black and half white flag informs a driver that their behaviour has been deemed unsporting and if they do not begin acting in a sporting manner immedatly they will be disqualified. A sign with the car number accompanies the flag.
	BlackC/151C	Black with orange circle	A black flag with an orange circle (40 cm in diameter) in the centre informs a driver that their car has a mechanical problem that has the potential to harm themselves or other drivers and they must return to their pit. Shown with car number.
	YellowC/186C	Yellow and red stripes	A yellow flag with red stripes warns drivers that the track surface ahead is slippery, or there is debris present. This could be as a result of a car spilling oil (or some other engine fluid), or because rain is starting to fall. Slippery runway in an area, either by water or oil. Drivers must slow down at that point.

Flags, whose specifications and usage are prescribed by Appendix H (PDF) of the FIA's International Sporting Code, must measure at least 60 cm by 80 cm, excepting the red and chequered flags, which must measure at least 80 cm by 100 cm.

Penalties

Penalties may be imposed on drivers for numerous offenses, including starting prematurely, speeding in the pitlane, causing an accident, blocking unfairly, or ignoring flags of any color. There are four types of penalty which a driver may incur for violation of on-track rules:

• The drive-through penalty requires the driver to enter the pitlane, drive through it while obeying its speed limit, and exit without stopping. Drive-through penalties are normally imposed for minor offences, for example crossing the white line at the end of the pit lane before passing over the end of the line, kerb-hopping at chicanes, ignoring yellow flags,or cutting corners. As a drive through penalty does not require the driver to stop at their pit, it is less costly to a driver's race times than a stop-go penalty.
• The ten-second (or "stop-go") penalty requires the driver to enter the pitlane, stop at his pit for ten seconds, and exit again. As the stop is designed to punish the driver for an offence, team mechanics are forbidden to work on the offending car at any time while the driver is serving the penalty. Stop-go penalties are generally imposed for more serious offences, such as jump starts, pit lane speeding, ignoring blue flags or unfair blocking. The ten second halt makes a stop-go penalty much more costly to a driver's race times that a drive-through penalty.
• A more extreme penalty may be imposed for more severe infractions: adding ten places to the driver's grid position at the next grand prix, e.g. if he qualified in pole position he would start the race eleventh from the front.
• The most severe penalty in common use is a black flag, which may be imposed for ignoring penalties or for technical irregularities of any sort; it signifies that the driver has been disqualified from the race and his results for that race will not count toward the championship.
• If the black flag is not considered sufficient for the offense that the driver has committed, they may be banned for a number of races after the event.
• The most extreme punishment of all (used for seriously endangering the life of another driver) is to be excluded from the drivers world championship that year. Such cases may, of course, also be taken to court.

For the drive-through and stop-go penalties, a driver has three laps from the time his team hears of the penalty to enter the pits; if he does not pit within three laps, he will be black-flagged. If he incurs a penalty within the last five laps of the race, he need not pit at all; instead, twenty-five seconds will be added to his total race time.

History

External links

• Current Formula One Technical Regulations - 2009 Published by the FIA on 12-01-09

• Current Formula One Sporting Regulations - 2009 Published by the FIA 17-03-09

References