New procedure regarding wet-weather starts

Dubai: A slew of rule changes will be in place in Formula One from the next season. From 2017, if a safety car is believed to be required for the beginning of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will take place once the track is deemed safe to race. The process will see the safety car return to the pit lane and the cars assemble on the grid for the start.

Helmet attire rules eased

Drivers must continue to present their helmets mainly in the same manner at every event of the FIA Formula One World Championship for easy recognition of the driver in the car. However, a driver will now be allowed to sport a special helmet at a one-off event such as a home race.

No more stockpiling power units

During any single event, if a driver introduces more than one power unit element that is subject to penalty, only the last component fitted may be used at subsequent events without further punishment. This is to prevent stockpiling of spare power unit elements.

Fixed early-season tyre allocations

For the first five events of the 2017 Championship season, the normal team selection procedure for tyres will not be used as the deadline occurs before pre-season testing. The supplier will allocate two sets of the hardest compound specification, four sets of the medium compound specification and seven sets of the softest compound specification to each driver.

Following is the provisional Formula One calendar for the 2017 season;

March 26 — Australia (Melbourne)

April 9 — China (Shanghai)

April 16 — Bahrain (Bahrain)

April 30 — Russia (Sochi)

May 14 — Spain (Barcelona)

May 28 — Monaco (Monte Carlo)

June 11 — Canada (Montreal)*

June 18 — Azerbaijan (Baku)

July 2 — Austria (Spielberg)

July 9 — United Kingdom (Silverstone)

July 23 — Hungary (Budapest)