Following a meeting of the F1 Strategy Group and the Formula One Commission in Paris today, the following items have been unanimously approved:

Cost cap

The principle of a global cost cap has been adopted. The limit will be applied from January 2015.

A working group will be established within the coming days comprising the FIA, representatives of the Commercial Rights Holder and Team representatives.

The objective of the working group will be to have regulations approved by the end of June 2014.

Pirelli Tyre test - Bahrain, 17-19 December

(As first revealed by Pitpass last week) The F1 Commission agreed to a change to the 2013 Sporting Regulations, on safety grounds, allowing the Formula One tyre supplier to carry out a three-day test in Bahrain from 17-19 December, 2013. All Formula One teams have been invited to take part in the test and six have accepted: Red Bull Racing, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Force India and Toro Rosso.

Driver numbers

Drivers will be asked to choose their race number, between 2 and 99, for the duration of their career in the FIA Formula One World Championship. Number 1 will be reserved for the current World Champion, should he choose to use it.

If more than one driver choses the same number, priority will be given to the driver who finished highest in the previous year's championship.

New penalties

The principle of a five-second penalty for minor infringements was agreed. In what form such a penalty will be applied will be discussed with Formula One's teams in order that a new regulation be introduced for 2014 season.

Points for the last race

Double drivers' and constructors' points will be awarded at the final race of the Formula One season in order to maximise focus on the Championship until the end of the campaign.

These changes are immediately applicable, given the mandate assigned to the FIA President at the last World Motor Sport Council meeting, held on 4 December in Paris.

Discuss.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Paul C, 14/12/2013 5:08

"Why not just award points to every starter by finishing position like NASCAR and other major series do in the USA? It would keep every team in the chase, even the two futility teams Caterham and Marussia."

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2. Posted by Kkiirmki, 10/12/2013 20:09

"The pinnacle of motorsport, seems more like the biggest joke of motorsport. The idea of double points for the final race is ridiculous and I can’t believe anyone in their right mind would suggest or even approve of such a ridiculous idea. All this does is potentially rob a deserving champion of a possible title if they happen to have one bad race at the season finale. What’s worse still is the fact that it could happen at possibly the worst race track in motor racing.
Why do the FIA continually try to implement a completely unenforceable budget cap into F1? The definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. It will never (never, never) work as the big teams will always find way around the rule.
"

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3. Posted by RP, 10/12/2013 19:56

"So, in the last few years, we see Friday practice sessions where some cars make an appearance measured in minutes during an hour and one-half practice. Why, oh, they have to save their tires for qualifying and the race. During qualifying the same scenario applies and is exacerbated by the teams inability to make adjustments (significant) to the car. If rain is in the forecast, your setup then relies on the best guess for rain on race day. Of course, even without that, you will only see the fastest cars make one lap or two during P1 and P2. During the race, the self destructing tires leave so many marbles passing is further reduced because the racing line is only the width of one car. The end result has been that fans see much less of the cars before the race. The race itself is impacted negatively by all the debris dropped by the tires.
Now, after working through a season and having success in 18 of 19 races, two closely matched teams can be undercut by a single failure in the last race? Ridiculous.
Before these so called improvements, there were cars on the track during practice, qualifying became even more exciting as the clock wound down and a change in weather on race day didn't prevent teams from optimizing the cars for the race. There were processions but definitely nothing worse than what we have today. Rules have been written, supposedly to contain costs, which don't have that effect. Innovation is immediately attacked and rules adjusted to attempt to marginalize the best designers, driver and crews.
While some may think the first ten cars on the grid, covered by 1 second or less in qualifying, is a good thing, it is part of the problem. The performance differential is so small that passing becomes less of a factor.
There are plenty of excellent comments already submitted. Isn't it hard to believe these people who have been around the sport for so long are trying to change it into more of a circus than it has already become.
"

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4. Posted by vins0n, 10/12/2013 17:09

"I remember a TV commercial where the driver entered the "Spin Zone" during the pit stop and was spun around - like the drinking game - and then had to get back in the car and drive. Where's that in the new regs? Maybe next year. "

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5. Posted by ScottC, 10/12/2013 13:44

"We are obviously now on the slippery slope where anything goes to "spice things up a bit". Pirelli have had to make tyres that fall to pieces after a few laps. Drivers have to accelerate going into corners or at least way earlier than they previously could when exiting a corner so that the down force effect from the exhaust works correctly. Next season we now have double points for a race at a zzzzzzzzzzzzzztadium that no one seems to like except the BBC who spend more time commenting on the "amazing lights on the hotel" than any actual racing. I think even though he gets paid to talk it up even DC is struggling at that one.

Next up - long "clown feet" driver boots so that the mistakes prompted by attempting to left foot brake will "spice things up a bit". Hey Bernie, why not go the whole hog - resurrect a Colin Chapman special that falls to bits, not immediately after, but before the chequered flag - all with the intent of "spicing things up a bit" of course. So what else, hey I know, the modern drivers are too boring - let's dig up some dead ones and stick them in cars and control them via radio control (given everything else they can do surely this must be possible) ... that would "spice things up" a lot.

BUT and here's the thing, all of these would be tacky and in the last case illegal (probably). Just because you can do something is no reason to actually carry it out. I personally hate the new made for teletubbiesland qualifying format. I understand the reasons it was adopted but when you are at the track you get to see the cars for such a short time that it's just not worth the price of admission.

I'll probably still go Friday next year for my annual fix of F1 sound & vision but as for the racing - I'll stick to the Le Mans series racing which I started going to in 2009 on our return from Australia. The racing is better, with less spectators to stop you getting to other bits of the circuit (& with a longer race this is easier anyway). The cars are more interesting (& if you care about such things actually have a bearing on what we see on the roads). Oddly enough even though it has been dominated by 1 manufacturer for the last few years I don't hear anyone complaining too much. What's more, the whole thing just feels different almost as though this is real racing and not the tv-soap-opera-bling-fest that modern F1 has become.

I suspect Mr Webber may have similar things to say.
"

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6. Posted by Skidmarks, 10/12/2013 8:12

"It will be interesting to see how a cost cap will be policed. If it is exceeded, will points be deducted from the team or a fine added? If a fine is added is that part of the team's costs and so would another fine be added?

I'm in favour of more tyre testing, don't care about the driver numbers, but would have preferred fixed team numbers, do not see the point of the 5 second rule and hate the idea of double points for the final race. "

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7. Posted by K1w1, 10/12/2013 6:54

"*Tire testing - Good. The more the better.

*Race Numbers - Don't really care either way to be honest. I'm here to watch the racing, not look at numbers.

*5 second penalty - When will it be imposed? When will it be decided?

*Double Points For The Last - You taking the mickey? What a stupid idea. I'd much rather see a point (or more?) each for fastest lap and Pole Position."

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8. Posted by ratchet69, 09/12/2013 23:10

"Shrewd move by the FIA. Announce a cost cap for next year, give out 101 extra points for the last race, rake in an extra half a million dollars in entry fees and hope no-one notices. "

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9. Posted by MikeL, 09/12/2013 22:57

"There are a number of surprising and in some cases strange changes in this list. I'm not sure I support the double points for the last race changes. A driver that has a 10 place grid penalty, for example, would be unfairly treated by this new rule.

It will be interesting to see if the cost cap can work. At least it might allow the Finance dept the chance to emulate the aerodynamics dept in finding ways around a rule book. "

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10. Posted by White Lightning, 09/12/2013 22:42

"Cost Cap: Unenforceable

Tyre test: the only sensible decision - more sense would be to underwrite all 12 teams' participation

5 second "minor infringement penalties": aka "let's make sure nobody knows the result of any race until 3 hours afterwards" penalties.

Double points in the last race: utter, complete and total b*ll*cks.

Permanent numbers: if Ferrari aren't 27 and 28, the straw that breaks this camel's back.

In all honesty, I've watched F1 religiously since I was 8 and read, posted on and in time moderated this site since I was 13, and I just have better things to do with my weekends these days than watch this adulterated crap.

"

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11. Posted by Rob, 09/12/2013 21:32

"Does double points mean two of Bernie's gold medals, or just one big one?"

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12. Posted by The Rumble Strip, 09/12/2013 20:46

"In a little short of thirty years of watching F1, I have to say that some of the latest rule changes have to be the must ludicrous that I have ever seen.

For starters, I don’t get why a seemingly arbitrary number is a major deal. For sure, teams historically had specific numbers allocated to them but to give drivers, on the same team, totally random and high numbers seems just pointless. It sounds to me like a gimmick to boost merchandise sales only.

As for the points business then this effectively says that the last race is more important than any other which is rather strange, as I thought the key to a title was consistency.

I find myself surprised that the teams voted for it, as surely they realise it would not be a popular call.
"

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13. Posted by Bawjohnson, 09/12/2013 19:46

"Most definitely agree with the driver numbers-anything to inject a bit of humanity to the sport, you can't see a yellow 46 anywhere without knowing what it means, hopefully we can have the same effect in F1.. Double points, less keen-so it's better to finish third at Abu Dhabi than win Spa..? Terrible.

Say Marussia manages to secure a couple of 9th places and a couple of 10th places next year, none of them in Abu Dhabi. That's 6 points.

Caterham can go into Abu Dhabi, finish 9th and 10th in the race and beat Marussia in the standings by going into the finale with only 1 point already secured. Normally that'd only be worth a season total of 4 points.

Which team did the better overall job throughout the season? Marussia. Which team gets the most points? Caterham.."

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14. Posted by Burton, 09/12/2013 19:31

"I like the concept of car numbers but it's more appealing in NASCAR where the field is quite big.
What on earth will constitute a minor infringement?? We don't even have consistent stewarding/penalties now, for pete's sake.
And double points for the final race is a total farce and a distortion of competition, maybe even worse than the KERS and DRS gimmicks."

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15. Posted by J0sully1, 09/12/2013 18:29

"let me be the first to say... Woah.... esp. on that last one..."

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