The fourth and final Formula 1 Commission meeting of the year was held in Abu Dhabi on Friday, chaired by FIA single-seater race director Nicholas Tombasis and Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali.
A number of matters were discussed during the meeting, including changes to the format of the sprint race weekends in 2024. Below you will find the most important topics and the decisions taken on them.
Weekend format with sprint in 2024
The committee was generally in favor of updating the sprint format in 2024 to make the weekend schedule more streamlined, separating the sprint-related races from those directly linked to Sunday’s Grand Prix. The final list of milestones with sprints in 2024 will be published in the coming weeks.
The Sports Advisory Committee will work out specific details, in particular regarding the timing and rules for closed parks, to present a final version to the Formula 1 Commission at its first meeting in 2024.
Wet weather kit/testing for spray plume control
The committee members recognized the importance of this project. Further testing of structures that completely enclose the tire will take place in the spring of 2024. These tests should validate the wheel fender concept and help determine the future direction of the project.
Bus strategy
The committee agreed that future tire development should focus on reducing overheating and improving racing performance. It has been decided to keep the thermal covers in 2025 and to delete the relevant provisions from the Sports and Technical Regulations. Further decisions will have to be taken in July 2024.
After testing the ‘Alternative Tire Allocation’ format in two phases this season, the Commission has decided to maintain the standard 13 sets of dry tires for the 2024 season. The relevant sections of the regulations relating to “Alternative Tire Allocation” are deleted.
Cooling down the riders
Following the extreme temperatures at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, the Commission has approved changes to the technical regulations to allow the installation of a driver cooling device in the car. Additional cooling options for more extreme conditions are being analyzed.
Changes in the Technical and Sporting Regulations
An amendment to the technical regulations relating to safety has been approved, which reduces the danger caused by the metal elements of the bottom when disconnected, by limiting their weight and quantity.
Other minor changes to the technical and sporting regulations for 2024 have been approved by the Commission.
Financial regulations/expenditures for sustainable development initiatives
The Commission has adopted further clarifications regarding the exclusion of expenditure on sustainable development initiatives from the Financial Regulation.
This relates in particular to the costs associated with defining sustainable development goals and the envisaged strategy to achieve them, as well as monitoring, benchmarking and reporting to monitor progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals assess carbon footprint and emissions and overall sustainability objectives.
Car development for the 2026 season
The committee approved that no work should be carried out before early 2025 to develop the car for the 2026 season.
Any changes adopted by the Commission must be approved by the FIA World Council.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
