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有幾樣野 update
Official: Pirelli to provide Formula 1 tyres
Pirelli has been confirmed as Formula 1’s sole tyre supplier for the next three seasons, following a meeting of governing body the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in Geneva on Wednesday.
With Bridgestone set to leave the sport at the end of the current season, having been the only tyre company involved in F1 since the start of 2007, talks between teams narrowed the final choice down to Pirelli and France’s Michelin – last involved in 2006 – although a final decision has been delayed for some weeks.
However, the FIA has now decided to select what was incidentally believed to be the preferred choice for most teams, as Pirelli prepares to return after last winning with Nélson Piquet and Benetton at the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix.
The following FIA statement also suggests that the Paris-based federation is hoping to ensure that varying compounds will be used in all races in order to spice up the show:
‘Pirelli has been selected as the single tyre supplier for the FIA Formula One World Championship for a period of three years, commencing in 2011.
The sole supplier will undertake to strictly respect the sporting and technical regulations implemented by the FIA.’
Moveable wings to assist overtaking from 2011
Moveable bodywork will be allowed on Formula 1 cars from next season onwards, sporting governing body the FIA confirmed on Wednesday. The decision has been taken in order to improve overtaking opportunities during races.
With passing in races having been a hot topic amongst fans and F1 insiders alike this season, the FIA has now confirmed that ‘adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed two laps.’
Drivers will be notified, via team radio or pit boards, that the electronic controls have been enabled after two laps although competitors will only be able to use the systems if they are running at least one second behind the car in front. The system will then deactivate automatically once the driver applies the car’s brakes.
It has also been pointed out by the FIA that, in accordance with upcoming talks with teams and drivers, the one second time gap may be modified if necessary.
FIA reintroduces 107 percent qualifying rule
Formula 1 governing body the FIA, following its Geneva meeting on Wednesday, has confirmed the rumour that the 107 percent qualifying regulation will be returning from next season onwards - meaning any driver whose best qualifying lap time is slower than a certain margin will not start the race in question (on safety grounds).
The 107 percent rule was last seen in 2002, the final year in which qualifying consisted of an hour-long session for all cars before the sport adopted a one-lap system between 2003 and 2005. For 2006, the current top ten shootout – which has been tweaked several times since – made its first appearance.
From 2011 onwards, all Q1 lap times must be within 107 percent of the fastest in that phase of qualifying (ie. no slower than the P1 time plus a further 7 percent of it, meaning a 1:30.000 time for P1, for example, would bring in a cut-off of 1:36.300).
Only in extreme circumstances – such as a heavy rain shower during Q1 or a failure to post a quick enough lap – will drivers be granted special dispensation to start by race organisers, who will judge the competitor in question by fastest lap times from practices sessions across the weekend.
Wednesday’s decision could be met with mixed opinions, especially for the new team which will be selected next month.
Safety Car regulations clearly defined
The FIA has pointed out what can and can’t be done under Safety Car restart situations, following the confusion and controversy which was the Schumacher-Alonso pass at the end of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Since the start of this season, once the Safety Car returns to the pit lane, drivers are able to overtake rivals after passing the Safety Car line – located near to the pit lane entrance but before the start/finish line and, in some cases, before a track’s final corner.
With Schumacher having passed Alonso after the Safety Car line (ie. in the correct manner) in Monaco, the 7-time Champion was then penalised as a contradicting rule stated that no overtaking was permitted on a last-lap restart.
Following the perplexities of Monte-Carlo, F1 governing body the FIA released the following statement following a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday:
‘With immediate effect, no car may overtake until it has passed the first safety car line for the first time when the safety car is returning to the pits.
However, if the safety car is still deployed at the beginning of the last lap, or is deployed during the last lap, it will enter the pit lane at the end of the lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.’
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