Motorsport.com can reveal that one of the points up for discussion at next week's meeting of the F1 Commission is whether or not the way the rules relating to early starts are currently structured is fit for purpose.
At the moment, an early start is defined entirely by whether or not FIA-supplied transponders detect movement before the start signal is given.
However, there have been several occasions where it emerged that cars moved before the red light went out, but were not penalized because the sensors did not detect it.
The most recent example, that of Lando Norris in this year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, has sparked debate over whether the regulations should be updated.
In Jeddah, while Norris was seen visibly moving forward and then stopping before the lights went out, FIA stewards ruled that he had complied with the rules because the sensor had not been activated.
A statement released at the time read that: “The stewards have reviewed the positioning system data and the video and have determined that the video appears to show that car 4 (Norris) moved before the signal was given starting”.
“However, the FIA-approved and supplied transponder fitted to the car did not indicate a jump start. “Article 48.1 a) of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations clearly states that the judgment as to whether or not there has been a jump start must be done based on the transponder, which did not show a jump start. Given the circumstances, we have taken no further action.”
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, leads Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, and the rest of the field at the start of the Sprint
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Subsequent discussions between team bosses and the FIA in recent weeks, including at this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, have raised the idea that there may be reasons to change the rules in the future.
So, in addition to maintaining transponders to detect illegal movements, emergency starts could be considered early if F1 Race Direction has video evidence that clearly shows the car's movement even if it was not detected by the sensors.
While it is unclear how much support there is for a change, it is known that if the F1 Commission reaches a super majority – requiring the support of eight teams plus the FIA and FOM – the rule change could come into force as early as Miami Grand Prix.
According to some sources, however, not all teams are in favor and some express the fear that the jump start will become a subjective issue based on the opinion of individuals.
They instead suggest focusing efforts on improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the sensors to ensure they are able to detect all movements.
The problem of pilots appearing to anticipate the start but the sensors not activating has emerged several times in recent years.
Valtteri Bottas had already been “pardoned” in the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix, while a year earlier then-Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel had escaped punishment in Japan.
#Early #start #teams #evaluate #rule
