FIA confirms red flag restart changes in Baku after Australia challenges

Henry Valantine
Red flag waved by a marshal at Suzuka. FIA F1 Japan October 2022

Red flag waved by a marshal at Suzuka. Japan October 2022

The FIA have announced changes to the standing restart procedure after red flag periods, following talks with the drivers in Azerbaijan.

The Australian Grand Prix at the start of April saw three red flags – the first time that has happened in the same race in Formula 1 history – but multiple drivers bemoaned cold tyres on the standing restarts as a reason behind why they struggled to navigate the race getting going again.

Multiple crashes and moments of contact came at the restarts, with the drivers having to follow the Safety Car to the grid, but one of the changes brought about is that the Safety Car will now leave the pit lane 30 seconds before the drivers on the lap to grid with its lights turned off all the way around, meaning the lead car will dictate the pace.

This will enable the drivers to effectively complete a formation lap as they normally would for the start of a race, allowing them to warm their tyres properly for standing restarts instead of having to follow the Safety Car’s pace.

The news was confirmed in race director Niels Wittich’s notes in Baku on Saturday, with the teams agreeing the changes on a temporary basis in Azerbaijan before a more permanent solution is voted upon at a later date.

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The following procedure for resuming a race with a standing start procedure will apply for the Sprint and the Race in Baku:

▪ 10 Minutes Signal

▪ 5 Minutes Signal

▪ 3 Minutes Signal

▪ 2 Minutes – lapped cars will leave the pit lane to complete one lap and return to the pit lane

▪ 1 Minute Signal

▪ 15 Seconds Signal

▪ Pit exit green light – SC will leave the pit lane with its lights on, lights will be extinguished after 1 second.

▪ 30 Seconds after the SC has left the pit lane, all drivers leave the pit lane and proceed to the grid without overtaking.

▪ Standing Start Procedure