14/04/2005
NEWS STORY
The FIA has announced that it has agreed to Red Bull Racing's request fro a change to the rule whereby drivers who have taken part in more than 6 Grands Prix in the previous two seasons are ineligible to drive the third car in Friday free practice sessions.
Red Bull sought the change in the law following its decision to put Tonio Liuzzi in its second race car at Imola, leaving Christian Klien, who contested the 2004 season with Jaguar, on the sidelines under the current rules.
The FIA issued the following statement this afternoon (Thursday):
Following a unanimous request from the teams and further to a fax vote of the remaining Formula One Commission members, together with a fax vote of the World Motor Sport Council, the requirement under Article 58b of the 2005 Formula One Sporting Regulations that the third (Friday) driver should not have competed in more than six World Championship Events during the previous two World Championships has been deleted.
As a result, any driver with a Formula One Super Licence may now run as a third driver on Friday.