F1 2025 – The brand new 12 months brings only a few regulatory modifications. From a strictly technical perspective, nothing will change earlier than opening the door to essentially the most vital transformation in F1 historical past, which can unfold beginning in 2026. Nevertheless, some minor updates are famous in sporting issues, together with the abolition of the extra level for the quickest lap in the course of the race.
A number of months in the past, the FIA confirmed the abolition of the controversial bonus via an announcement. The Singapore GP marked a pivotal second on this resolution, as Daniel Ricciardo, who was not within the factors zone, set the quickest lap, successfully benefiting Max Verstappen, the Purple Bull driver for the Visa Money App RB group.
“The World Council authorized some minor amendments to the sporting and technical rules for 2024 and 2025, together with the elimination of the purpose awarded for the quickest lap.” This assertion concluded a contentious chapter that by no means absolutely satisfied everybody.
The quickest lap level: the way it labored and when it was launched
The quickest lap level in races just isn’t new. It existed in the course of the early days of the sequence and was in place for ten seasons, from 1950 to 1959. It was then eliminated till it was reinstated in 2019, persevering with till the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP.
The rule stipulated that the additional level would solely be awarded if achieved by a driver ending within the factors. This observe altered race methods and sparked controversies. For example, drivers with nothing to realize by way of standings would match recent tires within the ultimate laps to say the purpose, denying it to rivals.
When this tactic was employed by a satellite tv for pc group, similar to Visa Money App Racing Bulls, it created an simple battle of curiosity. The system risked changing into a grimy sport, accessible solely to these proudly owning a number of groups in Components 1—particularly, Purple Bull.
To keep away from such controversies, F1 decision-makers, for as soon as taking a resolute step, determined to revert to the pre-2019 system, rewarding solely the highest ten and freezing any proposal to increase advantages to positions past the highest ten.
This return to a regular and fewer convoluted mechanism will change race methods beginning within the season commencing in March. Drivers will now not cease within the ultimate laps, offered they’ve a major hole to these behind, to suit new tires and declare the additional level.
F1 too lenient in pursuing transparency
Components 1 seeks to be extra clear by eliminating a instrument that was undoubtedly exploited in a different way from the legislator’s intent, which aimed to additional enliven Grands Prix by providing a bonus. Nevertheless, groups prioritize revenue maximization over moral consistency. If a group can impression one other for its profit, it’s going to, as Purple Bull demonstrated.
Maybe the game’s leaders, to realize even better readability, shouldn’t have solely abolished the quickest lap level but in addition imposed stricter rules on multi-ownership, which creates an anachronistic and more and more unjustifiable battle of curiosity. But, F1 appears unable to beat its contradictions, that are more likely to persist within the coming years.
FOM waged an all-out battle towards Andretti, barring its entry regardless of fulfilling all FIA-imposed necessities. The eleventh group materialized solely when Renault determined to discontinue its engine program in Viry-Châtillon. The choice-makers, in a real about-face, reversed their stance and welcomed the brand new entrant.
Maybe it could have sufficed to require Purple Bull GmbH to promote its Faenza subsidiary, facilitating the entry of one other producer and ending a bonus felt not solely on the observe, as evidenced by the aforementioned episode, but in addition within the corridors of energy, the place having an extra ally isn’t any small matter.
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