Formula 1 will more strictly monitor drivers going too slowly in qualifying this season.
The FIA attempted to regulate this in 2023 by issuing a maximum time drivers needed to stay under between the pit lane exit and entry.
From 2024, each car’s speed compared to that lap time will be monitored at each marshall post. This should make qualifying a safer session and avoid the near misses from previous years.
Drivers are inclined to drive slowly in between their fast laps to keep their tyres and power units in their optimum operating window.
The event notes by FIA race director Niels Wittich say: “For the safe and orderly conduct of the Event, other than in exceptional circumstances accepted as such by the Stewards, to ensure that cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on ANY lap during and after the end of the qualifying session (including in-laps and out-laps) or during reconnaissance laps when the pit exit is opened for the sprint or race, drivers must stay on or below the maximum time set by the FIA ECU at least once in each marshalling sector and at both the first and second safety car lines a marshalling sector is defined as the section of track between each of the FIA light panels).
“Any driver that exceeds the maximum time set by the FIA ECU may be deemed to be going unnecessarily slowly. Incidents will normally be investigated after the qualifying session.
Teams and Drivers will be provided the maximum time at the latest after the second practice session.
“In the event of fast approaching cars, drivers should go off-line between turns three and four, turns 10 to 11 and turns 13 to 14 to avoid any high-speed differential between the cars on track on the racing line.
One consequence of the rules brought in last year, which the FIA hopes to prevent, involves drivers purposefully slowing in the pit lane exit, where there is often little room for other cars to pass. The updated regulation state they “include the pit lane as well.”
Formula 1 has struggled to police the erratic driving in qualifying, which has led to moments such as the farcical end to qualifying at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix when only two of the ten cars crossed the line for a final lap after nobody wanted to punch a big tow to the rest.
On Friday morning, however, updated guidelines returned to 2023.
