GreenBkk Formula 1 | Adjustable rear wings among confirmed 2011 changes

Adjustable rear wings among confirmed 2011 changes

Under new moveable bodywork regulations for next season, drivers will be able to adjust their car's rear wing from the cockpit. The change is one of a number of revisions confirmed by the FIA in the newly-published 2011 regulations, following last week’s World Motor Sport Council meeting.

The rear-wing system will be electronically governed and will only be available for activation when a driver is less than one second behind another at pre-determined points on the track. It will then be disabled once the driver brakes. The FIA hopes the system will boost overtaking opportunities during races.

Although the adjustable rear wing can be used at all times during practice sessions and qualifying, it can only be activated once a driver has completed at least two laps of the race itself. Like KERS (which will reintroduced next season after the teams agreed to suspend its use in 2010) the system won’t be compulsory.

In other changes, minimum car weight has been raised by 20kg to 640kg, to give teams running KERS more flexibility in terms of weight distribution, a second tether will be added to every wheel to improve safety and F-ducts and double diffusers have been banned.

As well as their technical revisions, the FIA have also updated the sporting regulations for 2011. Gearboxes will need to last for five races, instead of four, whilst a curfew will be imposed on team personnel connected with the operation of the cars. This will last between midnight to 6am when practice is scheduled to start at 10am, or 1am to 7am if practice is scheduled to start at 11am.

Drivers will receive three sets of dry weather Pirelli tyres to use in P1 and P2 and must return one set after each session. A further eight sets will then be at their disposal for the rest of the race weekend, although one set of each specification must be handed back before qualifying.

If a driver fails to use both specifications of dry weather tyres during a race, they will be excluded from the results. If a race is suspended and can’t be restarted, and a driver has failed to use both sets of tyres, 30 seconds will be added to the driver’s race time.

During the first phase of qualifying, any driver who fails to set a lap within 107 percent of the fastest time will not be allowed to start the race. However, in exceptional circumstances, which could include a driver setting a suitable time during practice, the stewards may permit the car to start.

The refreshed sporting regulations also contain several references to driving protocol, with aggressively defensive manoeuvres, gaining an advantage by leaving the track, pit-lane overtaking and the correct way to respond to waved blue flags all mentioned.

Credit: Formula One Administration Ltd (www.formula1.com)