John N
The “ONE MOVE” Defending Rule
The rule simply means when one driver is completely ahead on a straight, they can make a move in one direction. More than change in direction is called ‘weaving’ and is NOT permitted. The defending driver is allowed to be a fairly aggressive in blocking the attacking driver by blocking the inside but weaving and similar manoeuvres are not allowed.
- Drivers must qualify within 107% of the pole-sitter
To make sure that slow cars don’t get in the way of the grid, each participating driver must qualify within 107% of the fastest driver lap time. However, there were two major changes in 2021. One, practice sessions was reduced to 60 minutes from 90 minutes. And, for three rounds, there will be “sprint qualifying” where the traditional qualifying hour will be on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday a 100km sprint race will be used to set grid for the major showpiece on Sunday afternoon.
- A point is earned for the fastest lap
The driver with the fastest lap of the race is awarded a point. This rule introduced two years has added some bit of excitement which has made drivers pit for fresh tires late on during the race in a bid to have the fastest lap.
- Grid Drop Penalty if an engine part is changed
Drivers are only allowed to use three engines per year, and some components either the same or twice. If the limit is exceeded, they’re given a drop of ten places each time they go over once, and five after for any time after.
- A penalty for speeding in the pit lane
It’s a big no-no to speed in the pit lane. Due to deaths in the pit lane in the 90’s, pit lane speed limit was introduced in 1994.
- Tyre compounds must be changed in the race
There are three dry tire compounds that can be used in a race weekend and the race itself. It is mandatory that each driver makes a pit stop to change its tire compound.
- Safety Car Line Overtaking
This rule refers to when drivers can overtake each other following the coming in of a safety car in the event of an accident. After restart, there’s a line that drivers can overtake each other once they’ve passed that line. However, in 2019, the rule changed. Drivers are now mandated to get to the start/finish line before overtaking each other.
- Success Handicap Rule
In 2021, there was a rule change which was meant to level the playing field for constructors in the championship. The rule dictates the amount of time teams can spend in the wind tunnel to develop their cars. That means the team that finishes last on the ranking s at the end of the season gets more time in the developing its car than the team at the top.
- HANS devices must be worn
The HANS device is a device meant to protect the drivers in the case of accident. It must be worn at all times.
- Non participation in Saturdays practice disqualifies the driver from racing on Sunday.
If a driver misses practice three on Saturday morning, they become ineligible for Sunday’s race.
- More car control by the driver
The use of launch control, ABS, traction control etc which are safety items found in regular cars, they are banned from being used in F1 cars.
- Forcing a driver off the track
Considered an aggressive attack, pushing someone off the track while overtaking isn’t allowed.
- Obedience of blue flags is compulsory
The blue flag in F1 is telling a slower driver that a faster car is trying to overtake. Counterintuitive it may seem the lapped car must allow the other pass.
- Holding others up during qualifying is not allowed
This is similar the rule on blue flag, but for qualifying. If a driver is on an out-lap or in-lap during qualifying and a driver behind is on their qualifying run, the one in front has to move out of the way. Failure to do so results in a three-grid penalty.
Overall, F1 is an extremely difficult sport to follow if you’re not really familiar with it. Luckily, many of the rules are pretty simple to understand. This article should help you get a hang of it.
