In reaction to the response from teams following last week’s directive on radio message restrictions the FIA has issued a follow-up directive.

The initial directive was an attempt to prevent teams contravening Article 20.1 of the sporting regulations, which states that "the driver must drive the car alone and unaided”, since it was widely felt that is some cases the driver was merely the conduit by which the engineers and boffins were helping contro the car.

As teams expressed concern as to what information might and might not be passed on to drivers, leading to talk of coded messages, the FIA has issued a directive stating exactly what is and what isn't allowed.

Message types not allowed

Sector time detail of a competitor and where a competitor is faster or slower.

Adjustment of power unit settings.

Adjustment of power unit setting to de-rate the systems.

Adjustment of gearbox settings.

Learning of gears of the gearbox (will only be enforced from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards).

Balancing the SOC [state-of-charge of batteries] or adjusting for performance.

Information on fuel flow settings (except if requested to do so by race control).

Information on level of fuel saving needed.

Information on tyre pressures or temperatures (will only be enforced from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards).

Information on differential settings.

Start maps related to clutch position, for race start and pit stops.

Information on clutch maps or settings, e.g. bite point.

Burn-outs prior to race starts.

Information on brake balance or BBW (brake-by-wire) settings.

Warning on brake wear or temperatures (will only be enforced from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards).

Selection of driver default settings (other than in the case of a clearly identified problem with the car).

Answering a direct question from a driver, e.g. "Am I using the right torque map"?

Any message that appears to be coded.

Message types allowed

Acknowledgement that a driver message has been heard.

Lap or sector time detail.

Lap time detail of a competitor.

Gaps to a competitor during a practice session or race.

"Push hard", "push now", "you will be racing xx" or similar.

Helping with warning of traffic during a practice session or race.

Giving the gaps between cars in qualifying so as to better position the car for a clear lap.

Puncture warning.

Tyre choice at the next pit stop.

Number of laps a competitor has done on a set of tyres during a race.

Tyre specification of a competitor.

Indication of a potential problem with a competitor's car during a race.

Information concerning a competitors likely race strategy.

Yellow flags, blue flags, Safety Car deployment or other cautions.

Most of these bans are implemented from this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, while those involving tyre and brakes will be implemented from Suzuka.

The ban on the imparting of technical information will also apply to pit boards.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by gturner38, 18/09/2014 21:40

"Yes, drivers used to be expected to monitor everything on the car themselves, but that was in an era when there was considerably less to monitor. If they wanted to make this change, it should have been made for next year at the earliest so that the teams would have a chance to design with this in mind. This is the equivalent of creating a test that was designed to be open book, informing everyone that it would be open book, then banning said text from the exam room.
"

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2. Posted by Simon in Adelaide, 17/09/2014 8:53

"I seem to be in a minority here but I support the ban on pit to car/driver communication that manifestly affect the performance or reliability of the car as management of the car must be the responsibility of the driver, as it used to be."

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3. Posted by stackvideo, 16/09/2014 22:19

"The one rule they forgot was that "Driver/s must raise their right hand to be able to ask permission to go to the toilet"

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4. Posted by Ro, 16/09/2014 19:27

"there is more overtaking in a scalectix set......go to an historic F1 event... I promise you that you will be entertained..."

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5. Posted by Ro, 16/09/2014 19:21

"why not just ban ALL radio comm... much easier to police...I can see a 5 sec penalty for incorrect radio message...what a load of b.....ks"

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6. Posted by my tyres are going off, 16/09/2014 18:42

"Keep the radio comms . to me telling Nico to go faster in turn three puts pressure on him when he can't and as has already been said gives us more insight. If I had my way then ban coded messages and keep all comms in English "

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7. Posted by bmw0645, 16/09/2014 17:11

"Surely these are too many restrictions? With the cars so sophisticated now the driver has enough to do now and still having to concentrate on his driving for up to 2 hours. What with this obsession with the drivers weight so cutting it wherever they can, the driver must have enough fluid to drink because if he doesn't his concentration might start to fail, cutting fluid intake is definitely a no no! Let the driver have information over the radio otherwise it might prove to be dangerous for him not to have it! Also it will deprive us, the viewers, of important information! I think these restrictions are too much!"

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8. Posted by C5, 16/09/2014 15:49

"Another in-season rule change, while totally idiotic recent changes, like double points and those embarrassing podium interviews, stands unchallenged. Just more proof that the FIA has totally lost the plot. Stop fiddling! Just... stop. Sigh."

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9. Posted by Indy2003, 16/09/2014 14:30

"This is a good starting point to getting the machines back into the hands it belongs to, the drivers. Next step is getting ride of the driver assisted electronics, paddle shifters and the rest of that garbage. Manually shifted cars with manual clutches. V8-10-12 whatever engines, induction systems whatever, areo whatever, one tire compound unlimited amount, scrap ERS, DRS, all that other crap, scrap tire warmers and bring back refueling with unlimited high octane gasoline. All these teams have these great minds that are being taxed out of racing. Let alone chasing away what used to be an informed fan base. The raw in your face dirty part of the sport isn't there anymore. "

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10. Posted by TokyoAussie, 16/09/2014 13:59

"Truly, does the FIA not have other things it could be looking at? I can think of several dozen.

No code-like messages?
"There's a slight breeze from the left in turn 2, Kimi."
"Leave me alone. I know what I am doing"

Frankly, I think this directive is a bit childish. Someone will need to explain to me what terrible damage is being done by radio messages. All this move is going to do is make those steering wheels even more expensive as the teams build ever more sensors and software into the cars for on-track messaging, instead of just getting a verbal over the radio. "

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11. Posted by White Lightning, 16/09/2014 13:16

"Further meddling that is of absolutely no concern whatsoever to 98% of the global track and TV audience. I don't care about radio messages. If Rocky wants to read Sebastian 'The Great Gatsby' as he's coasting to victory, good luck to the lad."

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FIA clarifies radio message restrictions

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