FIA approves more reg changes for F1 amid COVID-19 crisis

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council has approved a series of changes to F1's 2020 regulations to help the sport deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Formula 1 has been brought to a standstill by the global coronavirus crisis, with no certainty as to when the season will finally kick off after the cancellation of eight races so far.

However, F1's governing body is being proactive in its efforts to mitigate the impact of the crisis when the sport gets back on track, hopefully at some point during the summer, with FIA president Jean Todt given extraordinary powers "to take any decisions in connection with the organisation of international competitions for the 2020 season, which may be required as a matter of urgency".

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"Changes for the 2020 Sporting Regulations have been approved in order to give flexibility to the FIA and Formula 1 to react to the crisis and organise a race calendar that best safeguards the commercial value of the Championship and contains costs as much as possible," read a statement by the FIA released on Tuesday.

"The World Council approved the previously-announced delay of the 2021 Technical Regulations to 2022 for cost-saving measures.

"Further measures will be introduced for 2021 following discussions with the teams. These will include the homologation of the Survival Cell (from 2020) and certain other components.

"In addition, dual axis steering systems (DAS) will not be permitted in the 2021 regulations as defined in Article 10.4.2."

Mercedes, which pioneered the DAS system, is therefore forced to scrap the innovative device while retaining its 2020 chassis design for 2021

Additional changes include a mandatory 21-day shutdown (during the March/April period) for F1 manufacturers' power unit departments; the cancellation of all in-season Pirelli 18-inch tyre tests; the replacement of the three-day post season test at Abu Dhabi by an optional one-day test for young drivers at Yas Marina.

The FIA also stipulated that a new limit will be placed on the maximum number of power units each driver will be allowed to use if the 2020 championship consists of 14 or fewer races, or 11 or fewer races.

"Should the number of races in the Championship drop to 14 or less, each driver may use no more than 2 engines (ICE), 2 motor generator units-heat (MGU-H), 2 turbochargers (TC), 2 energy stores (ES), 2 control electronics (CE) and 2 motor generator units-kinetic (MGU-K)," read the updated rules.

"Should the number of races in the Championship drop to 11 or less, each driver may use no more than 2 engines (ICE), 2 motor generator units-heat (MGU-H), 2 turbochargers (TC), 1 energy store (ES), 1 control electronics (CE) and 2 motor generator units-kinetic (MGU-K)."

Also, as expected, all aero development of teams' 2022 designs shall be prohibited through 2020.

Finally, the FIA confirmed its ability, along with F1, to change the calendar without a vote, while the approval of just 60% of the teams will be required to decide further rule changes this season.

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