New Regulations Revealed by FIA Delegation

[KC]

Changes to the Formula One technical regulations for 2001 were announced following the Warsaw meeting of the World Motorsport Council. As unanimously agreed to by the teams and proposed by the technical working group, the new regulations are listed here:

- An increase of 50mm in the height of the front wings.

- A new rollbar test with higher loads. The sideways loading will be 400% higher than the current test load.

- Two cables (previously one), with separate attachments, must be fitted to connect each wheel to the main structure of the car to help prevent separation of wheels from the cars in case of a crash.

- A larger cockpit opening will be moved further back from the front wheels to make entry and especially exit easier for tall drivers.

- The seat back is located with references to the headrest and cockpit opening (also to help tall drivers.)

- The cockpit cross section will be larger internally with 25mm(1 in) foam padding around the driver's legs.

- The minimum chassis cross sections will be larger.

- Attachments for the driver's removable seat will be standardized to allow the seats of all cars to be removed with the same tool.

The changes are all, except the first, in the interests of driver safety. The front wing height regulation appears at first glance, to have the potential for reducing sensitivity to rough track surfaces displacing wing end plates. It is just this sort of problem which led to the disqualification of David Coulthard following the Brazilian Grand Prix and very nearly cost several other teams their finishing positions in that race.