The FIA has revised its nascent super licence points system, which will be introduced ahead of the 2016 season. Earlier this year the FIA announced that in order to qualify for a super licence, drivers would have to rack up 40 points across their most recent three seasons in motorsport categories. This was primarily in reaction to Max Verstappen's rapid ascent to Formula 1 at the age of 17, following just one season of Formula 3. An initial list suggested that the proposed F2 championship […]

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council has ratified proposals by the Formula 1 Strategy Group and Formula 1 Commission to simplify the power unit penalties in the sport. Engine sanctions received widespread disapproval when some were given penalties they could not serve, such as McLaren's Jenson Button, who was given a 25 place drop in Austria. With such a penalty came in-race sanctions, leading to drivers heading into a Grand Prix knowing they would have to serve a stop and go penalty if they could […]

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council has published a provisional compressed 21-race calendar for the 2016 season, which sees several significant changes from the current set-up. The season will begin later than usual on April 3 in Australia, with the opener twinned as a back-to-back race with China. Russia has been moved to May 1, with Malaysia shifted to a date in September, following the Singapore Grand Prix. In a change from 2015, the British Grand Prix will be held a week before Formula 1’s […]

The FIA has confirmed that its President, Jean Todt, and other delegates attending a conference in Nepal are 'safe and accounted for' after a devastating earthquake struck the region on Saturday morning. Over 2000 people were killed when the earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, hit the region on Saturday and the death toll is expected to rise over the coming days. Todt and his colleagues were attending the sport's inaugural Asia-Pacific Sport Regional Congress in the capital of Kathmandu. The FIA says […]

The FIA has confirmed that returning manufacturer Honda will be permitted nine development tokens across the course of 2015. Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault will be allowed in-season development in 2015 after discovering a loophole in the regulation which states that they can use their 32 tokens across the duration of the season. Honda was initially informed that it would have to homologate its engine before February 28 - akin to its rivals in 2014 - but the FIA later backtracked and confirmed that McLaren's supplier […]

The FIA has confirmed that drivers will no longer be permitted to change their helmet designs during the 2015 season. Leading figures within the sport were concerned that fans were having trouble identifying drivers due to the regularity with which some opted to alter their design. One key example was four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who regularly changed helmet designs during his Red Bull career and 'retired' certain paint schemes following each victory. The updated sporting regulations now confirm that drivers must stick to one […]

It remains possible the FIA will do a u-turn after excluding Honda from the new engine development 'unfreeze'. McLaren and its new 2015 works partner Honda were unimpressed recently when the FIA agreed that last year's engine suppliers - Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari - will be allowed to develop their turbo V6s this season. That is because F1's governing body argued that Honda, as a new competitor, will be the only one that has to stick to the 28 February homologation date, just as the […]

The FIA could be set to rethink its decision to leave Honda outside of the new engine development 'unfreeze'. A loophole in the existing rules will allow 2014 suppliers Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes to develop their turbo V6s within the season this year. But because McLaren's 2015 works partner Honda is a newcomer, the FIA's Charlie Whiting ruled that it will have its power unit homologated or 'frozen' on 28 February, just as the 2014 manufacturers did almost a year ago. McLaren told us this […]

Honda is "annoyed" it has been left out of the relaxation of the F1 engine freeze for 2015. After Ferrari and Renault championed a loophole in the regulations, the governing FIA's Charlie Whiting clarified that while existing manufacturers can now modify their turbo V6s during the 2015 season, Honda cannot. That is because the rules explicitly mark out a February 28 homologation deadline for new engine makers. And "As the existing manufacturers were obliged to homologate their power units by 28 February 2014, it would […]

Lewis Hamilton will not wear the coveted number 1 on his Mercedes in 2015, the FIA has announced. Shortly before Christmas, F1's governing body released a revised entry list for next season confirming that Briton Hamilton, although the new champion, has opted to defend his title wearing his usual number '44'. "44 is my number," Hamilton said after winning the 2014 drivers' title. "I won my first championship with 44 in karting so I'll ask the team if I can keep it on my car […]

The FIA says that the absence of Marussia and Caterham from this weekend's United States Grand Prix shows that it was right to push for cost cutting measures earlier this year. FIA President Jean Todt proposed a cost cap which would reduce spending, but his concept was abandoned when he realised that he would not have the required backing from Formula 1 teams. Only 18 cars will participate at Austin this weekend and an FIA statement says that they foresaw the situation. "The FIA has […]

The FIA could back down over its newly-imposed radio communications ban. It was the hot topic of controversial conversation in Singapore on Thursday, as the teams and drivers prepare for the rest of 2014 with tight restrictions on what they can and cannot say over the pit-to-car radio. Then the team managers headed for their usual pre-race briefing with Charlie Whiting. "It might be a long one," said Lotus' Alan Permane, according to Auto Motor und Sport. Some chiefs had prepared to go into the […]