Starting next year, the number of kilometers allocated to each team for their two filming days will double, increasing from the current 100 km to 200 km in 2024. This provides teams with an opportunity not only to ensure that all systems are functioning when the car makes its debut on the track, especially before the start of pre-season testing but also to gather data during the championship. However, the 2024 regulation draft includes other novelties, such as the deadline for a meeting to decide whether to abolish tire warmers in 2025.
As we reach October, teams have already shifted much of their focus to the following year, especially from a technical perspective, with new projects now firmly outlined in their key concepts. Behind the scenes, though, teams are also working on shaping the future regulations, not just for 2026, which represents a major revolution for Formula 1 with the departure of the MGU-H and revamped cars but also for the next two championships.
In recent days, the Federation has released the sporting regulations for the 2024 season, with several changes definitively approved by the F1 Commission and the World Motor Sport Council in meetings held earlier in the year and the last meeting at the end of August.
One of the most significant changes concerns the decision to extend the filming days from 100 km to 200 km, a move that will provide teams with more flexibility, especially during the pre-season.
Filming Days of 200 km
Before the start of the championship, teams generally utilize the two promotional events, commonly known as filming days, allowed by the regulations to conduct footage for sponsor-related activities. While, in theory, these events should only be used for marketing purposes, they serve as an opportunity for the teams to ensure that all systems on the car are in working order.
This is particularly useful before the start of winter testing, giving each team a margin to address any minor issues that could lead to delays during the already brief pre-season tests. In some cases, teams also use these days during the championship to test and collect data on new components before taking them to the track for a race weekend.
Until 2023, the regulations allowed each team to conduct two promotional events, each with a maximum of 100 km, with demo tires to prevent any competitive advantage. However, for 2024, some changes have been made: while each team will still have two promotional events during the year, they will be extended to 200 km each, double the previous distance. Furthermore, teams won’t be allowed to use both sessions on the same day, meaning they must be scheduled at different times.
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Thirty Minutes Less Testing
For 2023, it was decided to extend each of the three testing days by half an hour, divided equally with an additional 15 minutes in the morning and 15 in the afternoon, to allow the Federation to test some novelties and procedures like Safety Car, Virtual Safety Car, red flag, and standing starts.
This extended the testing sessions from 10:00 to 19:30 local time. However, in the initial draft of the 2024 sporting regulations, the closing time for the day was modified back to 19:00, with the usual eight hours on the track and an additional break.
Vote on Tire Warmers by July 31
One of Formula 1’s objectives is to make the sport more sustainable, collaborating with its partners, including Pirelli. For this reason, the Italian tire manufacturer has initiated an extensive program to produce tires that do not require tire warmers before being fitted to the cars.
This was a complex challenge because it required a rethink of the tire’s structure, making it capable of withstanding the forces with low pressures when exiting the pits while preventing overheating when the tire reached its proper operating range.
According to Pirelli’s calculations, this transition would have entailed an increase in pressure ranging from 8 to 10 psi, making it essential to continue testing to find the right balance between the various elements. However, drivers have expressed mostly negative opinions about the possibility of racing without the use of tire warmers, citing safety as a major concern.
In the end, the teams decided to postpone the introduction of this particular type of tire for at least one more season. A vote on banning tire warmers for 2025 is unlikely to take place by July 31 next year: “After an evaluation period, the FIA will provide its recommendations on the use of tire warming devices for 2025 and subsequent years. If the recommendation is to ban warming devices, a vote will be held with the participation of the FIA, F1, and the teams by July 31, 2024,” reads the regulation.
Fewer Exceptions for Curfew Violations During Race Weekends
Another topic concerns curfew violations, which are divided into three different periods depending on the phases of the weekend. For example, “restriction period one” starts 42 hours before the scheduled start of FP1 and extends until 29 hours before the scheduled start of FP1. The second period is always before the start of the first free practice session and covers the night before and the morning of Friday, allowing mechanics to work on the car only when there are less than 4 hours left until the cars hit the track.
Finally, the third period, where fewer exceptions are allowed, covers the rest of the weekend to ensure teams get some rest. However, recognizing that there can be special situations requiring teams to remain on track longer than expected, the FIA has introduced a system of exceptions, allowing teams to complete necessary work without penalty.
As seasons have passed, the “jokers” available for each curfew period have gradually decreased, with this trend continuing into 2024: in the first restriction period, teams will have two exceptions per season, down from four, while the second period drops from three to two, with the third period remaining unchanged at two, having already been reduced in previous years.
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