12/02/2010
NEWS STORY
The FIA has issued an updated version of the 2010 Sporting Regulations, which sees a number of changes to the original version.
As previously agreed by the World Motor Sport Council points will be awarded to the first ten drivers to finish a race on a 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 basis.
With a nod to the controversy sparked last year when Ferrari requested that Michael Schumacher be allowed to test ahead of his scheduled replacement of Felipe Massa, the revised regulation now reads: "If a team declares that one of its current race drivers is to be substituted by a driver who has not participated in an F1 race in the two previous calendar years, one day of track testing will be permitted between the start of the week preceding the second event and the last event of the championship."
However, the test must take place at a track not being used as part of the world championship.
There is also a reduction in the amount of straight-line testing teams can carry out, the allocation now reduced to 6 days from 8. However, teams will have the choice to substitute any of these days for four hours of wind-on full scale wind tunnel testing
In an effort to reduce pitlane technology, 'powered jacks' are banned while drivers are now restricted to 11 sets of dry tyres (6 prime and 5 option). Furthermore, the top ten qualifiers must start the race on the set of tyres used when setting their fastest lap in Q3.
The full document - in pdf format - can be viewed here