2010 F1 rule changes summary

Yesterday the FIA published the finalized 2010 F1 regulations, confirming a raft of new rules for the sport, along with the controversial £40m voluntary budget cap. Here is a summary of all the rule changes to take effect from next year.

2010 rule changes
– Minimum car weight increased to 620 kg (previously 605 kg)
– Mid-race refueling banned
– Qualifying to be contested on low fuel (Q3 previously contested on race fuel)
– Tire warmers banned
– Maximum number of teams allowed to compete in the championship raised to 13 (from 12)
– Stewards can now drop a driver any number of grid positions at a driver's next race if he is involved in a racing incident (previously drivers were dropped 10 grid places)
– KERS no longer allowed to operate when a car is travelling above 300 km/h
– KERS energy storage (battery or flywheel) must be located behind the driver and in front of the engine
– Rear brake pressure may be reduced by use of a valve during KERS use
– Tires must now be inflated with only air or nitrogen (CO2 also previously allowed)
– Teams can avail of a voluntary £40m budget cap, offering them greater 'technical freedom'

'Technical freedom' offered to budget-capped teams
– No limit on testing mileage or dates (non-capped teams limited to 15,000 km between 1 January and week of first race)
– No restrictions on wind tunnel scale or speed (non-capped teams restricted to 60% scale and 50m/s rolling road speed)
– No restriction on use of engines during a season (non-capped teams limited to eight engines per season)
– No restriction on use of gearboxes during a season (non-capped teams forced to run with four-race gearboxes)
– Moveable front wing allowed to move 10° any number of times per lap (non-capped teams allowed 6° movement twice per lap)
– Moveable rear wing permitted, controlled by driver (not available for non-capped teams)
– No restriction on engine revs (non-capped teams limited to 18,000 rpm)
– KERS to be twice as powerful, producing just over 160 hp of boost for 6.67s per lap (non-capped teams limited to 80 hp for 6.67s per lap)
– Four-wheel drive permitted (non-capped teams limited to two driven wheels)
– KERS permitted to drive all four wheels (non-capped teams limited to KERS powering the rear wheels)