Formula One drivers will be subject to stricter speed limits while driving behind safety cars in double yellow flag zones in a bid to improve safety, governing body FIA said on Wednesday.
The new measures apply to driving behind the safety cars and virtual safety cars that will be implemented and start at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. The decision was made following an investigation and review of previous incidents and in consultation with the teams and drivers, the FIA added in a statement.
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Trident Motorsport team members work on the car of Oliver Goethe of Germany and Trident in the Paddock during previews ahead of Round 4:Monte Carlo of the Formula 3 Championship at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2023 in Monte Carlo , Monaco. (Rudy Carezzevoli – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)
Previously, drivers were only required to significantly reduce their speed and not overtake in areas where, for example, debris blocked the road or where marshals were standing nearby.
«That requirement will be more precise and strictly enforced, and drivers will now have to comply with a set maximum speed limit in areas where double yellow flags are displayed,» the FIA said.
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FIA technical director Tim Goss said things will be easier on track for drivers and workers alike.
Scuderia Ferrari racing driver Charles Leclerc #16 is pushed onto the grid ahead of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix performance at Miami International Speedway. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
«What we want to do is provide drivers with a tool to help them during incidents and make racing even safer,» Goss said.
Drivers will not be caught off guard as they will receive both visual and audible warnings when approaching a double yellow flag zone. Delta requirements will be reset to zero at the start of a double yellow flag zone, making it easier to comply with the new speed limit.
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez Front competes during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix Final at Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco on May 29, 2022. (Qian Jun/Xinhua via Getty Images)
The FIA did not say what the new speed limit will be, but electronics chief Olivier Hulot is confident the new measures will work smoothly.
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«We have already introduced a warning system for yellow and double yellow. The driver receives a warning in the qualifying sector before the yellow or double yellow,» Hulot said. «For the FIA, safety is paramount and when there is a danger on the track, we have to minimize the risks no matter what.»