By Alan Baldwin
LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) – Formula One teams and stakeholders agreed unanimously on Monday to engine rule tweaks aimed at improving the racing and driver safety from the next race in Miami on May 3.
The sport this season started a new era, with the hybrid power units now split roughly 50-50 between electric and combustion power.
Some drivers have complained over the first three races about having to ‘lift and coast’ into high-speed corners so the combustion engine can recharge the battery, and have aired safety concerns regarding the start and speed differentials during the race.
They have also had to contend with ‘super-clipping’ where the power unit automatically diverts energy from the engine to the battery, slowing down the car even if the driver is flat on the throttle. Red Bull’s four-times world champion Max Verstappen has questioned his future in the sport.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that an online meeting with the 11 team bosses, power unit CEOs and Formula One had agreed a number of in-season “refinements” that would now be put to a virtual vote.
“The proposals agreed today… will be implemented from Miami apart from the race start changes that will be tested in Miami and adopted following feedback and analysis,” it said.
MORE CONSISTENT FLAT-OUT DRIVING
The FIA said energy management parameters would be adjusted for qualifying, a key area of concern, with a reduction in maximum permitted recharge from eight megajoules to seven to encourage more consistent flat-out driving and peak ‘superclip’ power increased from 250kW to 350kW to reduce the time spent recharging.
In the race, measures were introduced to reduce excessive closing speeds and limit sudden performance differentials with the maximum power available through boost capped at an additional 150kW.
A new system has been developed and will be trialled to mitigate the risks of a slow-starting car being struck by a faster one close behind as well as measures to improve safety and visibility in the wet.
“These are sensible changes and the teams, FIA and Formula One have done good work over the past few weeks to agree them,” said Williams boss James Vowles on social media.
“F1 has seen some great racing so far this year but it is right that we always look at ways to keep improving.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had earlier told reporters changes needed to be made “with a scalpel and not with a baseball bat” and cautioned against bad-mouthing the sport in public.
(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Christian Radnedge)
