This season sees a strict restriction on the practice of oil burning, whereby engine oils are burned as fuel to boost performance.

The practice, which was first used in 2017, saw teams burning as much as 1.2 litres per one hundred kilometres, but this year the figure has been revised down to a maximum of 0.6 litres per one hundred kilometres.

Furthermore, teams are restricted to using a single specification of oil, which must be declared before the race. These oils are subject to stricter definitions of what is considered "oil" in order to prevent teams from using exotic blends designed to boost performance. Teams are also required to inform the stewards of the mass of oil in each oil tank before the race.

Nonetheless, some fear the clamp down doesn't go far enough, with Christian Horner claiming the 0.6 litre rule could still see teams make use of the practice, particularly in qualifying.

Days ahead of the start of the new season, FIA race director, Charlie Whiting, has moved to allay Horner's fears.

"We've closed down all the things that they were able to do last year," he said. "There was no real oil spec last year, now there is.

"Now they have to approve oils," he continued. "We've also tightened up the engine rules in Article 5 of the Technical Regulations, and we've also routed the breather that can no longer go back into the air intake which was the biggest issue. It has to go out the back like virtually every other racing car in the world. And we've told them they can't use more than 0.6 litres per 100 km. All those things combined I think will do the job.

"For qualifying you've got a small amount of laps," he admitted, "so if you're looking at a percentage you've got to try and detect smaller quantities that have been used. That's a challenge. We've made them all fit homologated oil sensors in their main oil tanks, but they've got auxiliary oil tanks as well, so we've got to be able to check those too.

"It's just a matter of detailed checking just to make sure that they are respecting the 0.6 even over short distances."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by ryanhellyer, 17/03/2018 4:09

"@nonickname - it wasn't a rule, so of course there's no punishment."

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2. Posted by imejl99, 16/03/2018 12:53

"and then there is that exciting racing series starting in 2 days"

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3. Posted by nonickname, 16/03/2018 12:21

"Just another rule that will have another loop hole.No punishment except a smack on the hand. Why don't they simply say,you break this rule you are out for the year?"

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Whiting seeks to allay oil burn fears

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