The last FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting of 2022 will take place this Wednesday, December 7

As part of its commitment to evolution and its aim to enhance its regulatory processes, the FIA World Motor Sport Council has met numerous times throughout this year 2022. Listening to the drivers, the FIA sets the deadline for any modification to April 2023.

June 2022 meeting

The Council had met in June 2022 in order to make modifications to the Sporting and Technical Regulations. Numerous changes had been made.

Among others:

• An update to the rules governing car limitations during tire tests had been made.

• The schedule of official pre-event media activities for the drivers has been changed. This activity will now take place within a two-hour window, 23 hours before the scheduled start of the first free practice session.

• The deflection tests for the trailing edge of the main wing and the flexibility of the beam wing have been improved.

• Fuel cooling will now be allowed up to 20°C during the hottest races. The reference temperature, however, will be measured one hour before the session.

• The regulations regarding rearview mirrors now allow for better visibility to the rear.

• From now on, the replacement of a power unit in the Closed Park with a unit of a newer specification is allowed.

• Finally, the temporary repair of the Power Units has been authorized.

October 2022 meeting

The Council had met on October 19th last in London for the third meeting of the year. During this meeting, numerous modifications had been made to the Formula 1 regulations, particularly regarding safety. First, the Council had planned an increase in the size of the rearview mirrors to ensure better visibility in the blind spot, as well as an improvement in the definition of the braking circuit.

Secondly and following the accident involving Zhou Guanyu at the British Grand Prix, the regulations regarding safety roll cages had been strengthened. Thirdly and most recently, a clarification of the procedure for determining grid positions after the application of multiple penalties has been made.

And the meeting on Wednesday?

If the comments presented by the drivers will allow for the improvement of their working conditions, their performance, as well as the quality of the races presented, they will be discussed on Wednesday with the Council.

Among the pilots’ comments: humidity reduces visibility with the latest generation of single-seaters, a more dissuasive penalty system for strategic power unit changes, early activation of DRS to allow for closer races, the implementation of Parc Fermé during Sprint races, and compensation in case of an accident during a Sprint race.

This final meeting will be an opportunity for the Council to improve in anticipation of the 2023 season.