The FIA will subject Formula 1 cars to tougher rear wing flexibility tests from this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
The sport’s governing body previously announced it would impose a new test from the Spanish Grand Prix, round nine of the championship, which will be held in June. However after analysing data gathered at last weekend’s round in Melbourne, it has decided to impose another new test with immediate effect.
The test it will apply in Shanghai will significantly reduce how much teams’ wings may flex under load. The current test involves placing a 75kg vertical load on either edge of the rear wing’s main plane. When under that load, wings must move by no more than 2mm.
Under the new test which will be applied from this weekend, that limit will be cut to 0.5mm. The FIA informed teams of the change earlier today. For this weekend’s race only, a tolerance of 0.25mm will be permitted.
The FIA noted that all cars were found in compliance with the current regulations when they were tested at the Australian Grand Prix.
FIA statement on rear wing tests
As has been previously communicated, between the end of the 2024 season and the start of the 2025 season, the FIA exercised the authority it is granted under Article 3.15.1 of the Technical Regulations to introduce either new or more challenging load-deflection tests for the front wing (from race nine, Spanish Grand Prix), the upper rear wing, and the beam rear wing. In addition, the FIA requested to the teams to use cameras in free practice sessions to monitor the on-track deformations exhibited by the cars during the Australian Grand Prix.
Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to [with] the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.
More specifically, Article 3.15.17, introduced in 2025, states that if 75kg of vertical load is applied on either extremity of the rear wing main plane, the distance between the main plane and the flap (also known as “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2mm. From the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm. Due to the short notice for Shanghai only a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit.
The teams were informed of this revised test early [on] Monday 17th of March.
The FIA wishes to further confirm that during the Melbourne event all cars tested against the requirements of Article 3.15.17 and found to comply, therefore all cars raced in Melbourne were deemed to be legal.
With the first official track action of the 2025 Formula 1 season just over a week away, the FIA published its latest update to the series’ rules.
Some changes, such as the introduction of an extra mandatory pit stop in Monaco and the scrapping of the bonus point for fastest lap, have already attracted significant attention. But other less obvious changes have emerged which could have a significant effect on how races play out this year.
F1’s rules continue to become more complicated. The Sporting Regulations alone have grown from 107 pages last year to 120, and that is just one of several sets of rules which govern F1, along with the Technical regulations, Financial Regulations and over-arching International Sporting Code.
From those, here are 16 key rules changes to be aware of for the upcoming F1 season:
More practice opportunities for rookies New procedure for setting the grid on disrupted weekends No more bonus point for fastest lap Two mandatory pit stops in Monaco ‘Full wet’ tyres no longer mandatory Changes to starting procedure Teams must park damaged cars immediately Tougher unsafe release rule in the pits Optional driver cooling aid New limit on running older cars Post-season ‘mule’ car tyre test Restrictions on gearboxes lifted Tougher wing stiffness checks Cars get heavier again More stewards at some races New guideline penalties for ‘misconduct’
Race weekend sessions
More practice opportunities for rookies
Expect more rookies like Shwartzman to appear
Since 2022, the FIA has required teams to allocate one first practice session per car to inexperienced drivers during the season. The governing body has doubled that obligation for 2025.
Drivers will qualify as sufficiently inexperienced for this purpose if they have “not participated in more than two championship races in their career.” Therefore, out of the six drivers who are starting their first full seasons this year, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan all qualify, so their teams will fulfil half their total obligation over the first two rounds.
However Liam Lawson, with 11 starts, is already too experienced, as is Oliver Bearman due to the three grands prix he started last year.
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New procedure for setting the grid on disrupted weekends
Prolonged rain at last year’s Brazilian Grand prix almost made it impossible for qualifying to go ahead. A new rule sets what will happen should that scenario ever play out:
“In the exceptional circumstance that the qualifying session does not take place at a competition, and with acceptance of the stewards that the session cannot take place, the grid for the race will be defined based upon the drivers’ championship classification. In such circumstance, the procedure defined in article 42.3 shall be applied using the drivers’ championship classification of each driver instead of their qualifying session classification, all drivers shall be considered to be classified.
“If neither of the methods of forming the grid for the race described above can be applied, the formation of the grid for the race shall be at the sole discretion of the stewards.”
No more bonus point for fastest lap
Norris scored the final bonus point for fastest lap
Formula One Management made lots of noise about respecting the sport’s heritage when it made the curious decision to reinstate the bonus point for fastest lap in 2018. It was originally used between 1950 and 1959, then dropped for almost six decades.
Last year it quietly announced the rule was being dropped for 2025. It later indicated the controversy at the Singapore Grand Prix, where Red Bull’s B-team driver Daniel Ricciardo prevented championship contender Lando Norris from scoring the bonus point, was the motivation.
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Two mandatory pit stops in Monaco
Drivers will be forced to pit twice in Monaco
Formula 1 writing new rules for specific races feels like the thin end of the wedge. This is what the series has done in reaction to last year’s processional race in Monaco, where drivers were able to complete their single mandatory tyre change during a red flag period on the first lap.
This year, in Monaco only, they’ll have to make two pit stops. F1 has therefore created the bizarre circumstance where the only race which is required to be shorter than the regulation length, by 45 kilometres, is also the only one where drivers must change tyres twice.
‘Full wet’ tyres no longer mandatory
Race control won’t force drivers to use ‘full wets’
It has been clear for many years that, even in very wet conditions, drivers usually prefer the performance of Pirelli’s intermediate tyre to the ‘full wet’. As a result the rule allowing race control to mandate the use of full wet weather tyres has been scrapped.
Changes to starting procedure
Following recent cases in which the correct starting procedures were not followed, notably in Interlagos last year and Monza the year before, the FIA has extensively rewritten the section of the rules governing starting procedures.
The revisions cover procedures and penalties relating to drivers starting from the pit lane and cars failing to leave the grid, as well as how extra formation laps and aborted starts are to be handled. The details are covered in articles 44, 45, 47 and 49 of the Sporting Regulations.
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Safety
Teams must park damaged cars immediately
No more limping back to the pits in a wrecked car
Another change seemingly prompted by a development in a race last year. Sergio Perez was given a three-place grid penalty for driving his Red Bull back to the pits with his rear wing hanging off. The team later admitted they decided not to leave his car on the track to avoid triggering a Safety Car period, while their other car was leading. The race director now has the power to order a team to stop a badly damaged car.
Tougher unsafe release rule in the pits
The addition of 10 words to the rule on unsafe releases could result in more drivers being caught out if their teams send them out of their pit boxes too soon. The regulation now reads: “Cars must not be released from a garage or pit stop position in way that could endanger pit lane personnel or another driver, or that is likely to cause damage to another car” (new part in italics).
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Optional driver cooling aid
Since 2023’s excruciatingly hot Qatar Grand Prix, the FIA has been working on how to enforce the use of cooling aids to reduce the risk of harm to drivers. It will now issue a Heat Hazard warning if conditions are forecast to be hotter than 31C (previously 30.5C).
The intention is this will be used to force drivers to use the Driver Cooling System. However, for this year, the rules stop short of enforcing that (contrary to this article on the official F1 website). “Any driver may elect not to wear any items of personal equipment that form part of the driver cooling system,” state the rules.
Testing
New limit on running older cars
Hamilton has been busy in Ferrari’s old cars
New restrictions on how often teams may conducted testing of previous cars (TPC) were agreed last year. An extra limit is imposed on TPC involving drivers entered in the championship.
Post-season ‘mule’ car tyre test
As F1 will introduce new, smaller tyres next year, a special test has been arranged to follow the final race of the season. The teams must use the adapted ‘mule’ cars designed to simulate next year’s lower downforce levels for this test.
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Restrictions on gearboxes lifted
Teams won’t have to worry about replacing gearboxes
In an unusual change, article 29 has been struck from the rule book completely. This limited how many gearbox parts each driver could use over the season. The FIA agreed to drop this requirement due to the reliability of current designs, so any driver who uses more than five gearbox case and cassette sets, or gearbox drivelines and associated parts, will not be penalised.
The limits on how many power unit components teams may use remains as before.
Tougher wing stiffness checks
The FIA is eager to rein in teams’ use of aeroelastic components in their wings – i.e., designs which deform at high speed to boost performance. Tighter tests for rear wings will be imposed from round one, and front wing will be subject to more demanding checks from round nine.
Cars get heavier again
The FIA intends to begin reversing the gradual increase in F1 car weights next year. But for now they’ve gone up again, finally reaching the milestone of 800 kilograms.
The latest rise was agreed to allow the minimum weight for drivers to rise from 80kg to 82kg. This allowance was introduced five years ago and this its first increase since then.
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Governance
More stewards at some races
The FIA now has the power to appoint four stewards instead of three (in addition to the driver representative) at some rounds of the world championship. This has been introduced to speed up decision-making at rounds where the workload tends to be higher.
New guideline penalties for ‘misconduct’
Leclerc was fined for swearing in Mexico last year
The FIA’s prosecution of drivers for what it calls “misconduct” has become a significant bone of contention between the two parties. The FIA’s definition of misconduct remains largely unchanged, although in addition to banning “language… that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive” and assault, the International Sporting Code now also prohibits “incitement to do” those actions.
Alongside this, the FIA has introduced a series of escalating penalties for drivers who commit multiple infringements of the rules. The upshot is Formula 1 drivers can expect a fine of up to €40,000 for swearing, though exactly when they are at risk of this is a significant grey area. Official FIA press conferences are likely to attract the most attention, though some drivers went unpunished for using profanity in those last year.
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The FIA has approved a new special rule for the Monaco Grand Prix which is intended to force drivers to make more pit stops.
It has made the change after criticism of last year’s race, in which almost all drivers completed their mandatory switch to a different tyre compound when the race was red-flagged on the first lap.
Formula One Management CEO Stefano Domenicali vowed to avoid a repeat. The WMSC has now approved a proposal made by the F1 Commission to introduce further specific regulations for the Monaco Grand Prix only.
The FIA confirmed the mandatory requirement for drivers to make two pit stops will be imposed regardless of whether the race is dry or wet. Drivers are ordinarily exempt from the requirement to use two dry tyre compounds if they use either the intermediate or full wet weather tyres.
Drivers will not be required to use all three dry tyre compounds in the Monaco Grand Prix. However the FIA will mandate at least two pit stops.
“The FIA World Motor Sport Council reviewed a proposal regarding the implementation of a mandatory two-stop strategy (in both wet and dry conditions) for the Monaco GP, with the primary intent of improving the sporting spectacle of this race given the notable difficulty in overtaking at this circuit,” said the FIA in a statement.
“Following recent discussions in the F1 Commission, a specific requirement for the Monaco GP has been approved mandating the use of at least three sets of tyres in the race, with a minimum of two different tyre compounds to be used if it’s a dry race.”
Other special regulations are already in place for the Monaco Grand Prix, which is run to a distance of 260 kilometres, instead of the 305 kilometre minimum set at all other circuits.
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Formula 1 has finally given a reason why it will no longer award a bonus point to the driver who sets the fastest lap during a grand prix.
The FIA, which sets F1’s regulations, and Formula One Management announced the decision to drop the rule in October last year. However neither offered an explanation for the change.
FOM reintroduced the bonus point for fastest lap, decades after it was originally removed from the rule book, in 2019. It predicted the change would “improve the show” and “make the final part of the race even more interesting.”
Its sudden and unexplained decision to drop the bonus point came less than a month after last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, where it became a bone of contention between championship contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The latter lost the bonus to Daniel Ricciardo after the RB driver made a late pit stop to take fresh tyres, despite being ineligible to score the point himself as he ran outside the top 10.
Ricciardo, a former Red Bull driver who returned to their second team in 2023, admitted he took the bonus point away from Norris “with a little bit of Red Bull in mind.” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, who has repeatedly urged F1 bosses to prevent competitors gaining an advantage by owning multiple teams, called it “a nice A/B-team sporting thing that I didn’t think was allowed.”
F1 has now indicated the Singapore Grand Prix controversy did serve as the prompt to drop the rule, stating on its official website: “With the bonus sometimes proving a controversial topic, the decision was taken to remove it from the scoring system this year.”
The bonus point is unlikely to be missed by F1 drivers, most of whom said it was an unnecessary addition to the rules. The decision to drop the rule has not been reflected in Formula 2 or Formula 3, which will continue to award one point to whichever driver sets the fastest lap in each of their race formats, providing they finish in the top 10.
A poll of RaceFans readers last year found a majority favoured dropping the rule from F1.
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