Today the Formula 1 Commission met for the first time this season, taking important decisions on both the technical and sporting fronts in view of the new championship which will start at the end of the month in Bahrain.
The commission focused on three macro-topics, namely the sprint format, the number of Power Units available during the season and the activation of the DRS during the first laps, topics that had already been addressed during the previous meetings but without finding a definitive meeting point.
The regulatory changes established at this latest Formula 1 Commission meeting will be presented to the World Motorsport Council (WMSC) on 28 February for inclusion in the calendar, so that they are effective for the start of the season.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23, Daniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri AT04, Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C43, Alex Albon, Williams FW45, Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-23, Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo C43, Logan Sargeant, Williams FW45
Photo by: Jake Grant / Motorsport Images
Sprint format changes for 2024
The commission had in fact already discussed towards the end of last year to find a better rationalization of the sprint format compared to the one used in the last championship, trying to divide the day dedicated to short sessions in a more orderly manner compared to the rest of the ordinary weekend .
Today the F1 Commission communicated a major update to the Sprint weekend, reaching an agreement to change the order of sessions across those six weekends. Free practice 1 and the sprint shootout qualifying session will take place on Friday, but Saturday will change. In fact, on the morning of the second day of action on the track, the sprint race will take place, while on Saturday afternoon the drivers will return to the track for the qualifying of the 300 km Grand Prix, which remains as usual on Sunday.
The four Power Units are back
Another important change concerns the number of Power Units available to each driver during a single season. Last year it was decided to increase this number to four, thus guaranteeing each driver one more unit than what was initially established.
Red Bull Racing RB19, Power Unit
Photo by: Erik Junius
However, in the last F1 Commission of 2023 an agreement was not found to extend this new rule also in 2024. Today, however, a step back was taken and the proposal to increase the number of Power Units from three to four units was approved for every driver not only in 2024, but also for the 2025 world championship.
The activation of the DRS is anticipated
Another topic already discussed in the past concerned the activation of the DRS, which should have been brought forward compared to what usually happens. A first test was done in the sprint races, giving the pilots the opportunity to activate the mobile wing after just one lap of the race.
Formula 1 has collected indications deemed satisfactory and has decided to extend this rule to every event of the season, therefore not just to the sprint sessions: the activation of the DRS in the race will therefore be brought forward one lap, rather than two laps after the start of the race or following a restart after a Safety Car period.
The F1 Commission also discussed a number of topics relating to the 2026 Regulations, in particular financial and sustainability issues.
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