F1 bosses want to reduce driver aids for 2021

Jamie Woodhouse
Formula 1 rule breaking group created to eliminate 2021 regulations loopholes.

Formula 1 rule breaking group created to eliminate 2021 regulations loopholes.

Formula 1 could say goodbye to “certain driver aids” in 2021 while introducing more standard components aimed at keeping costs down.

With the 2021 regulations still to be decided, F1’s owners Liberty Media and the FIA are debating various proposals aiming at not only improving racing but also reducing costs.

From technical to sporting regulations, even the format of race weekends is up for consideration.

Head of single-seater technical matters Nikolas Tombazis says the FIA are keen to reduce the number of driver aids, giving the drivers more control over what is happening during grands prix.

Tombazis told Racer.com: “Items under investigation that we are still looking at over the next few months, we’re looking to reduce certain electronics on the car and certain driver aids.

“That is quite a sensitive subject of course and we are working on it to make sure we avoid any unwanted consequences.

“We are discussing reducing car-to-pit telemetry and thus we would like to leave the drivers alone during the race to handle all the technical aspects of the car.

“There would still be radio communication with any strategy or safety information, but there wouldn’t be the, ‘Your temperatures are too high, do that and this,’ that would be something we would prefer the on-board system of the car and the driver to have full responsibility for and not have that continuous assistance by an engineer and the pit wall.”

That, though, is not the only change that F1’s powers-that-be are considering.

Along with more standard components, the FIA also wants to do away with commplex aerodynamic devices, taking further steps towards simplifying the wing and bargeboard area.

“We are looking at some further standard components and whether there could be cost benefits for further such components. We are simplifying the lower part of the chassis,” Tombazis continued.

“We want to make sure we have structures under the chassis that protect the chassis from curbs and damage. It’s also an area which is quite difficult to regulate for the permitted deflection so we are working on that.

“We are considering perhaps having some further personnel reduction during race weekends, and last but not least — and that could be another book on its own — we are looking at race weekend formats and that is a discussion that is heating up and getting quite interesting.”

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