FIA announces 2025 F1 rule tweaks after ‘mini DRS’ row
The FIA has announced two changes to the 2025 F1 rules.
F1’s governing body the FIA has announced changes to the 2025 regulations.
The tweaks were unveiled following the latest meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council in Rwanda, ahead of Friday’s end-of-season awards ceremony.
A rear wing clampdown will come into force from next season to prevent teams from replicating the ‘mini DRS’ trick used by McLaren in 2024 which caused a stir among their rivals.
Rival teams raised questions about the legality of McLaren’s rear wing and its potential ability to help the team achieve higher top speeds after they won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September.
The wing was seen flexing at high speed on television coverage during the Baku weekend. Despite it passing all of the FIA’s deformation tests, McLaren made modifications.
One of the FIA’s changes for 2025 will now require the DRS flag to comply with the same restrictions on bodywork deformation when the system is not deployed.
“With the exception of the driver adjustable bodywork, when in the state of deployment… all aerodynamic components or bodywork influencing the car’s aerodynamic performance must be rigidly secured and immobile with respect to their frame of reference defined in Article 3.3,” the updated rule reads.
“At all points along the span, the rear wing profiles (as defined under article 3.10.1) must have a minimum gap of between 9.4mm and 13mm. This will apply when the DRS is not in the state of deployment (as defined under Article 3.10.10) and will be measured with a spherical gauge.”
New ‘Heat Hazard’ rules
The FIA also revealed that new “heat hazard” regulations will be declared when temperatures exceed over 30.5C.
Under this rule, teams will be required to fit new cooling systems into the cars for drivers, while the minimum weight will be raised to 5kg to compensate for the additional weight.
This has come in response to last year’s Qatar Grand Prix when drivers complained that conditions in the race were “beyond the limit”.
Several drivers required medical attention for either dehydration or heat exhaustion. Esteban Ocon revealed he had thrown up in his helmet amid the high temperatures and humidity.
“If the Official Weather Service predicts that the Heat Index will be greater than 30.5C at some time during the sprint [race] or the race at a competition, or at the sole discretion of the race director, a Heat Hazard may be declared twenty four (24) hours prior to the scheduled start of the competition,” the new regulation states.
“Once a Heat Hazard is declared it shall remain in force for the Competition. All competitors will be notified via the official messaging system.
“Once a Heat Hazard is declared: (a) The additional items to aid driver cooling must be fitted, including driver cooling systems, as described under Article 14.6 of the Technical Regulations. (b) In accordance with Articles 4.1 and 4.7 of the Technical Regulations the Heat Hazard Mass Increase shall apply.”
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