An increase in the maximum fuel allocation is among the changes which have been confirmed for 2017 in the revised rules published today.

Here’s what been changed for 2017 in the updated sporting regulations.

Higher fuel allocation

The maximum fuel allocation has been increased from 100kg in anticipation of the increase in fuel consumption owing to next year’s faster cars:

No car is permitted to consume more than 105kg of fuel, from the time at which the signal to start the race is given to the time each car crosses the Line after the end-of-race signal has been given.

No ‘stockpiling’ power unit elements

Drivers cannot avoid penalties for using too many power unit elements by fitting a large number of new parts at one race, as Lewis Hamilton did at Spa this year:

During any single event, if a driver introduces more than one of the same power unit element which is subject to penalties, only the last element fitted may be used at subsequent events without further penalty.

Pirelli to pick tyres for first five races

The quantities of tyres for the first five races of the year will be chosen by Pirelli rather than the teams. Pirelli will continue to select which compounds will be used for these races.

For the first five events of the 2017 championship season only, the… selection procedure will not be used. For these events the supplier will allocate two sets of the hardest compound specification, four sets of the medium compound specification and seven sets of the softest compound specification to each driver.

Helmet design changes

Having previously banned drivers from changing their helmet designs during the season, the FIA befgan granting one dispensation per season this year. This is now written into the rules:

In order for drivers to be easily distinguished from one another whilst they are on the track, the crash helmet of each driver must, with the exception of one event of the driver’s choice, be presented in substantially the same livery at every Event during a championship season. A change to helmet livery will also be permitted if a driver changes team during a championship season.

The FIA is also stipulating safety standards for mechanics’ helmets:

All team personnel carrying out any work on a car in the pit lane when the car is in its pit stop position during the qualifying practice session, or during a race pit stop, must be wearing helmets which meet or exceed the requirements of ECE 22.05 – European motorcycle road helmet, DOT – USA motorcycle road helmet or JIS T8133-2015, class 2 – JPN protective helmets for motor vehicle users. The use of appropriate eye protection is compulsory.

Refuellers and those equipped with fire extinguishers must wear “garments which are in compliance with either FIA Standard 8867-2016 or FIA Standard 8856-2000”.

More wet weather tyres for final practice

The FIA will now consult weather forecasts to determine whether teams should be given an extra set of tyres if wet conditions are expected in final practice:

If neither P1 nor P2 are declared wet, but the likelihood of P3 being declared wet is deemed by the FIA to be high, one additional set of intermediate tyres will be made available to all drivers. Under such circumstances, one set of intermediate tyres must be electronically returned before the start of the qualifying practice session.

There have also been further clarifications to the electronic procedure by which teams ‘return’ tyres they are no longer permitted to use.

Unsafe release

The rule on unsafe releases is now worded more clearly:

Cars must not be released from a garage or pit stop position in way that could endanger pit lane personnel or another driver.

Another rule limiting the number of staff which may be involved in running a teams’ cars during a weekend has also been clarified.

The new rules for 2017 also include a change to encourage greater use of standing starts in wet conditions.

2017 F1 season