Dhe world automobile association Fia has drawn the conclusions from the controversial finale of the past Formula 1 season and has already announced “structural changes”. As the Formula 1 Commission announced after its first meeting this year on Monday in London, “an action plan” will be published in the coming days.
The events at the chaos finale on December 12, 2021 in Abu Dhabi have been processed for a good month. The findings from this go into the analysis of the new Fia President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who was also present at the meeting in London. Decisions are expected to be made at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Bahrain on March 18 ahead of the start of the record-breaking 23-race season.
There will also be three sprint races in the coming season, but the Fia made adjustments. The sprint qualifying becomes a “sprint”, and pole position for the Grand Prix is awarded to the fastest driver in qualifying on Friday. The rating has been changed: the first player gets eight points, the eighth one more points. Previously, the winner had received three points for the World Cup standings. This time there will be sprints at the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna (Imola), Austria and Brazil.
Looking back on the abandonment of the chaotic wet race at Spa-Francorchamps, the commission decided to make some changes to the regulations. In future, points will only be awarded if at least two laps are completed without the safety car or the virtual safety car.
The rule that provides half points has also been changed. A new key provides for a modified distribution of points if the race is abandoned: If less than 25 percent of the race distance has been completed, only the top 5 get points: 6, 4, 3, 2 and a point. Half points are no longer awarded.
