The upcoming Formula 1 season is set to bring about several new rule changes.
One of which could see the grid line-up determined at the discretion of the race steward in case of adverse weather or other conditions. This change comes after last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix was thrown into chaos due to bad weather.
Controversy erupted in Sao Paulo when qualifying for the race was moved to Sunday, just before the race. To prevent a similar situation, the FIA has announced that if qualifying or sprint qualifying cannot take place, the grid order will be based on the Drivers’ Championship classification prior to a Grand Prix.
However, if this classification is not available, such as at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16 which opens the season, the order will be decided by the race steward.
The Brazilian circuit witnessed chaos in 2024 when McLaren’s Lando Norris topped the grid while Max Verstappen was eliminated in Q2 following the controversial timing of one of the wet session’s many red flags.
The Dutch star was 12th on the timesheets in Q2 when the red flags were finally waved. However, if the cars had been halted earlier, he would have secured a 10th place and advanced to Q3.
Lance Stroll’s crash in the torrential rain triggered the flags, but chaos ensued as they were not immediately raised, taking about a minute-and-a-half from the driver’s collision with the barriers to the decision to red flag the session, reports the Express.
Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz also crashed into the barriers during the tempestuous session. Verstappen managed to bounce back from his p17 start in the race itself, clinching a vital victory as he edged out Norris for last season’s title.
Other rules introduced for the 2025 season include a regulation requiring rookie drivers to be given two additional sessions of time per car in FP1 meetings this year. This doubles the previously mandatory allocated time for newbie drivers.
After several drivers struggled in the sweltering conditions at the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023, a weather warning can now be issued this upcoming season. If temperatures hit 31 degrees, each car must be equipped with a compulsory cooling system. The weight of F1 cars is also set to rise from 798kg to a neat 800kg minimum for this year.
The 2025 season kicks off on March 16 at Albert Park in Melbourne. Shanghai will then take centre stage the following week as Max Verstappen aims for a strong start in his quest to secure five Drivers’ Championships in a row.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Get email updates with the day’s biggest stories