More Regulation Changes for Next Season

The FIA's World Motorsport Council approved several changes to the Formula One regulations for next season, in a meeting held today at Seville.

The councile decided the following:

Tyre: a maximum of 10 sets of tyres (previously 8) will be allowed during practice on Friday. Three of these sets, one of which must be of a different specification, cannot be used after Friday. Furthermore, a wet-weather tyre is now defined as having 5% less contact area than the previous specification.

Practice: The fifteen minutes of supplementary practice preceding the race, scheduled in case of climatic conditions different from the ones in which all practice sessions took place, has now been abandoned.

Technical Regulations: The loads applied to the rear roll structure have been increased to 50 KN laterally (previously 12 KN), 60 KN longitudinally (previously 45 KN) and 90 KN vertically (previously 60 KN). (10 KN are approximately one ton); A side intrusion test of the monocoque has been introduced; The rear-wing is now restricted to three aerodynamic sections; In order to help prevent aquaplaning in heavy rain, wet â€" weather tyre diameter will be increased by 10mm.

Furthermore, as of 2002, the side intrusion test load will be increased to 200 KN (previously 150 KN) and the energy absorption to at least 8000 J (previously 6000 J). Also, in addition to the rear impact test, a push-off test of the rear structure will be introduced.