What is Formula One's new fuel-flow rule? A look at the regulation which disqualified Daniel Ricciardo at the Australian Grand Prix

Updated

The elation that followed Daniel Ricciardo's historic second-place at the Australian Grand Prix was soon followed by dismay as news emerged his car was under investigation for exceeding the maximum allowed fuel flow.

Ricciardo was referred to race stewards after he breached Article 5.1.4 of the Formula One technical regulations, which states "Fuel mass flow must not exceed 100kg/h".

After a marathon hearing, stewards eventually excluded Ricciardo from race results, prompting an immediate appeal from Red Bull.

The new rule has been drafted into the technical regulations as the FIA looks to make Formula One more fuel efficient. In 2013, there was no race fuel limit or fuel flow limit, and cars used approximately 160kg of fuel per race at a flow of 170kg an hour.

But from 2014, each car has a 100kg fuel limit per race - around one third less than before, and with it, fuel flow is limited to 100kg per hour.

Because drivers are looking to get the most out of their car during practice and are vying for the fastest lap in qualifying, they will be running their cars near the limit of fuel flow.

But with races lasting between one and two hours, drivers have to save fuel which leads to new driving strategies, styles and tactics.

The F1 season could boil down to which of the power unit manufacturers - Renault, Mercedes and Ferrari - produces the unit with the best fuel efficiency.

Any team or driver which exceeds the 100kg fuel limit will cop a disqualification, making it all the more important that a car's fuel sensor is picking up accurate readings.

Under the new regime, exceeding the fuel-flow limit would put the offending driver at an advantage over his competitors, allowing him to aggressively burn more fuel while other drivers were driving under more conservative, fuel-saving strategies.

Formula One technical regulations (Article 5.1.4 on page 21)

Topics: formula-1, motor-sports, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

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