Formula 1: Dropping the administrative penalty linked to the new start system

Formula 1: Telesmetry calibration and the assistance protocol

The sport’s governing body is rolling out a test phase for a new safety system. The evaluation gets under way at the Miami Grand Prix. It will not be used in race conditions straight away. The protocol is aimed at abnormal speed drops during the launch phase. If telemetry detects a lack of acceleration, the MGU-K can be brought in early. That electric unit is not normally allowed to be used below 50 km/h.

The basic aim is simple: stop cars getting slammed from behind. The emergency avoidance move Franco Colapinto pulled on Liam Lawson’s car in Australia is what pushed this directive forward. Data will be gathered in free practice. The sprint races and Sunday grands prix will keep the standard launch procedure.

Formula 1: Penalty review and the administrative consensus

Bringing in this mechanical aid raised the spectre of drivers gaming the system. In its first draft, the FIA had planned to bolt on an automatic administrative penalty. The single-seater chief, Nikolas Tombazis, has confirmed the original idea was to force offenders down the pit lane, without stopping, at the end of the first lap. The move was meant to shut down any deliberate triggering of the algorithm.

Talks with the teams’ technical chiefs have killed that punishment off. The consensus is that a loss of initial acceleration is an unavoidable time hit. Using the device only limits the damage to the lap time; it does not hand out any outright competitive advantage. The FIA will still keep a close eye on the telemetry. The rules will be changed if any improper use of the algorithm is found.

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Formula 1: Tolerance thresholds and the incident audit

The trigger settings are based on a minimum acceleration threshold measured in the phase after the clutch is released. A retrospective look at this season’s telemetry shows a maximum of three cases that fit the system’s activation criteria.

Liam Lawson’s launch issue in Melbourne satisfies the intervention test. The acceleration gap logged for Max Verstappen in China sits above the regulatory tolerance threshold. Final approval of the assistance system depends on the data gathered during the Miami and Montreal test runs.

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