• FIA

FIA clarifies radio clampdown rules

ESPN Staff
September 16, 2014 « Boullier: McLaren needs to 'dig deep' | Rosberg-Hamilton relationship changed quickly - Wolff »
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The FIA has elaborated on what is and is not permitted under the rules of its latest clampdown surrounding radio communications - and confirmed it extends to pit boards too.

On Monday the FIA issued a lengthy follow-up to the technical directive sent to teams last week, highlighting what can and cannot be said over the radio under the new rules either through pit boards or radio communications. It also stressed "any message that appears to be coded" will be specifically targeted.

Some rules will not be enforced until the Japanese Grand Prix in the interest of safety, to give teams the chance to get new fail-safe systems in place. Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has already predicted controversy around the new rules, though teams are expected to meet with the FIA in Singapore to discuss the changes further and clear up any grey areas.

Permitted

The clampdown extends to messages via pit boards © Sutton Images
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  • Acknowledgement that a driver's message has been heard.
  • Lap or sector detail for team's own driver or lap time of a competitor.
  • Gaps to a competitor, in any session.
  • Messages such as "push now", "push hard", or "you will be racing xx", or similar.
  • Warnings about traffics during any session.
  • Gaps between cars in qualifying to help driver with positioning for flying lap.
  • Puncture warnings.
  • Tyre choice for next pit stop.
  • How old a competitors current tyres are during a race.
  • The compound being used by a competitor.
  • Indication of a potential problem with a competitor's car during a race.
  • Information concerning competitors likely or believed race strategy.
  • Any information regarding flags cautions (yellow, blue etc) and Safety Car deployment.
  • Safety Car window.
  • Driving breaches by team driver of a competitor which may result in a penalty eg. Missing chicanes, track limits
  • Notification that DRS is enabled or disabled, and dealing with a DRS system failure.
  • Change of front wing position at next pit stop.
  • Weather information.
  • Instruction to pit and retire the car.

    Not permitted

  • Sector details of a competitor and where competitor is faster or slower.
  • Adjustment of power unit settings.
  • Adjustment of power unit settings to de-rate the systems.
  • Adjustment of gearbox settings.
  • Learning of gears of the gearbox (from Japanese GP onwards).
  • Balancing state-of-charge batteries or adjusting for performance.
  • Information on fuel flow settings (except if requested to do so by race control).
  • Information on level of fuel saving required.
  • Information on tyre pressure or temperatures (from Japanese GP onwards).
  • Information on differential settings.
  • Start maps related to clutch position - for race starts and pit stops.
  • Information on clutch maps or settings, eg. bite points.
  • Burn-outs prior to race starts.
  • Information on brake balance or brake-by-wire settings.
  • Warning on brake wear or temperatures (from Japanese GP onwards).
  • Selection of driving default settings (other than in the case of a clearly identified problem)
  • Answering a direct question from a driver, eg. "Am I using the right torque map?"
  • Any message which appears to be coded.

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