Season 2011: amendments to the Rules

In season 2011 Formula 1 await the next amendment to the regulations. Some of them prohibit the use of innovative solutions that have emerged in recent years, while others determine the order of the riders and team personnel ...

The ban on air ducts

 

Ducts, changing the effectiveness of rear wing, appeared on the McLaren cars even in the winter tests, and during the season this idea copied all the instructions except for beginners. Duct allowed to gain an advantage due to greater speed on the direct, contributing to overtaking, so far, while similar solutions do not appear in competition.
Beginning with the 2011 season, any systems, devices or procedures that use motion drivers to change the aerodynamic characteristics of vehicles are prohibited.
The ban on double diffusers

 

Last year, when the first time in many years in the league seriously changed regulations on the aerodynamics, engineers, three teams - Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota have seen in the rules of the possibility of an additional unit of the diffuser, would seriously increase the downforce at the rear of the car. First, the idea provoked a sharp protest from other teams, but then the FIA has confirmed its legality, and in 2010 had already used all of the double cone.
Many believed that the FIA should not have to ban this decision because on one hand the team has already spent on its development, and the ban will not reduce costs, on the other hand - improving the design of the diffuser could make further progress at a relatively low cost.
Alas, the appearance in 2009, this decision negatively affected the outcome of the working group to increase the number of overtaking - double cone seriously changed the characteristics of air flow, not allowing competitors to steal up close without loss of effectiveness of aerodynamics.
New technical regulation covers the "gray area" of rules that allows use of a double cone, but allows the use of exhaust gases to optimize the conventional diffuser, which can lead to very interesting solutions.
Prohibition of a flexible front wing

 

  In the 2009 season, the first time in the history of Formula 1 were allowed mobile elements of aerodynamics, and racers were able to adjust the configuration of the front wing click. One element of the wing, located on the sides of 500-millimeter "neutral zone", could change its position to within six degrees twice on each lap.
The idea was proposed by a working group to increase the number of overtaking, but was not effective enough - riders often used this control to configure the machine, and when overtaking and attacked and attacker could change the angle of attack, so that tangible benefits are not brought novelty. The next year, driven element front wing is prohibited, and was succeeded by a more radical solution - managed element rear wing. Adjustable rear wing element
In the FIA have learned and develop amendments to the regulations are not only allowed the teams to use in the design of machines driven element rear wing, but is strictly regulated change its angle of attack.
In qualifying riders can arbitrarily adjust the position of the controlled element, and in the race, this advantage will only attacking the driver who has slumped to the opponent at a distance less than a second. System is electronically controlled to track the status of the racer, it also returns the item in its original position when the brake pedal. As with KERS, this solution is not mandatory.
KERS

 

The appearance of kinetic energy recovery system KERS in the 2009 season strongly supported automakers, because the technology could be used in the construction of road vehicles, but its debut has turned out unsuccessful. Because of the rush, not all managed to provide, and many teams have refused recovery system. It is significant that the title and the first two lines in the Constructors' Championship in 2009 were won by cars without KERS.
Automakers, the most actively supported the KERS, left in the championship, but the next season of Formula 1 cars can once again use the recovery. System will produce the same number of companies that before, but the minimum weight of the car again increased - now up to 640 kg, and the engineers are necessary, the experience, so that major problems should not be. However, without the complications will not do - Now riders will start with full tanks, and weight distribution machine is limited regulation, so that the optimal placement of batteries KERS will be another challenge for engineers. Weight distribution of machines
In the season of 2011 regulations very strictly defines the weight distribution of machines on the axes, depriving engineers of another variable in the search for balance. Now 46.5% of the weight should fall on the front axle, but in terms of changing the supplier of rubber teams do not have accurate data on new tires, so the allowed error of 1%. Replacement gearbox
In season 2011 the gearbox has to withstand a distance of five Grand Prix, but the first unscheduled replacement only if it does not take place during the final weekend, is not punishable. In this case, the new gearbox will have to work out only the remainder of the race weekend.  

Changing tire supplier

 Company Bridgestone has announced his departure from Formula 1 at the end of 2010, during the season championship leadership held talks with several companies, focusing on the Italian Pirelli. Shinnik plan to deliver four teams ended with the same names as the Japanese - Hard, Medium, Soft and SuperSoft, same dimensions, but the characteristics of the tire change, which affects the behavior of machines.
In the autumn of 2010, the team could try out the rubber on the tests in Abu Dhabi, but it was still not the rubber that will be provided at the winter tests, or in the first race of the season - work on the buses going and the team who can find a more effective approach , will gain an advantage in the first half of the season. Using a rubber
Set of tires will be used from the time when the transponder is mounted on the car crosses the line of departure from the pit lane.
The following amendments apply to sessions that are not declared by rain.
On Friday free rides each rider will receive three sets of rubber - two hard and one soft, but they can be used in the two sessions. In this case, one set of hard rubber with a car each driver returned to the supplier before the start of the second session and the other two - before Saturday's free practice. If the team produces an additional rider on the track, it uses rubber that someone replaced.
In the case of stopping the race and can not restart, the results of the drivers, not used for the distance of both rubber and added thirty seconds, which will offset the benefit of those who have not had time to change to stop the race.
If a driver finishes, do not use on race two of the rubber, its results are excluded from the protocol. Qualification
In the 2011 FIA returned "107% rule." It only applies to the first qualifying session - the pilots, losing to her leader session, more than 107%, can not participate in the race. There is an exception, which allows to start those who have unsuccessfully spent the session because of an accident or for other reasons. If the free-rider races showed the best results, the Stewards may allow him to leave the launch pad. If there are several racers, their places on the starting grid will be determined by the decision of the stewards. Restrictions on the work of staff
No member of the commands associated with operating machinery, can not be on the racetrack for two six-hour period beginning 10 hours before the start of the first and third training sessions. In this case, each team is allowed in exceptional cases to depart from that rule four times during the season, but each case is considered individually. Pit
Pit lane will be divided into two zones. Part closest to the fence line, to be called "fast" and can not be wider than 3.5 meters. Part closest to the boxes, according to a new terminology called the "internal".
If the machine is turned away from the pit lane is not in accordance with the requirements of Article 38.2 [late to the grid] and 41.5 [when the race is suspended], working with her is possible only in the inner zone. However, work in fast zone in any case prohibited if they can make it difficult to exit from the pit lane the other machines.
If the car does not ottolkali manually with the lattice along the starting procedure, it can be directed to exit the pit lane only from the zone of boxes of his team. Machines, came to the exit of the track before the start or resumption of training, as well as machines that need to stay there during the presence on the track the safety car should line up in the fast zone and leave the track in the resulting order - except for a forced delay of one of the machines.
In special cases, the race director may request to close the entrance to pit lane during the race for security reasons. At this point, riders can call in to the pit lane only when a clear need for substantial repair the machine. The rider on the track
Prohibited any maneuvers that might prevent another pilot, such as repeatedly changing the direction of motion while protecting the position, the intentional displacement of the car over the edge of the route or any other abnormal change in the trajectory.
Riders must remain constantly on the road. To avoid doubt, it is considered that the restrictive white line is considered part of the route, and curbs - no. Rider left the track when his car is completely outside it. If that happens because of some reasons, the pilot has the right to return - but to do it safely and not gain an advantage.