Last minute changes in the 2012 regulations

The FIA World Motor Sport Council met today in Milan and made some changes to the regulations for the 2012 Formula 1 season. These rather minor changes were approved by the Formula 1 Commission.

The first change concerns the allocation of tires over a race weekend. From now on, if the race management considers both Friday practice sessions to be held in wet conditions, teams will be able to use a set of tires allocated for Friday during Saturday.

A set of dry weather tires may now be saved for Saturday if both practice sessions on Friday are declared wet; this is in the hope of seeing teams complete more laps on Saturday, stated the FIA in a press release published on its website.

Another element being reviewed is the management of the curfew imposed on team members. This is to avoid the issues faced last year, particularly during the Singapore Grand Prix which was held at night, where some teams violated the curfew due to a misunderstanding of the allowed timings.

« Changes have been made to the staff curfew to ensure that rest periods remain constant throughout the season, regardless of the test session schedules during certain special events. »

Last modification made, and not a minor one, is a possible restriction on the use of DRS if the race direction deems visibility conditions too poor when rain occurs during a race.

The race director may prohibit the use of the adjustable rear wing (DRS) if he deems visibility too low in rainy conditions. This is due to safety concerns with large speed disparities between the cars, the statement specifies.