Formula 1 looks a little different in 2025.
The main reasons are that while the sport appears to be different, Lewis Hamilton is driving towards Ferrari, Carlos Sign Jr. moving to Williams, Nico Hulkenberg moving to Sauber, on the grid It starts with other changes, such as six new drivers taking a full-time spot. , and there are also new rules and regulations that fans should know as the season rises.
There have been major changes in 2026, but when new technical regulations that allow the Cadillac to shuffle the entire grid are implemented, nine new rules to know in 2025 are there is.
New F1 Technology Regulations for 2025
Heavy cars
If you think your current Formula 1 car is too big, there's some bad news.
The car will be a little bigger next year.
Specifically, the car is slightly heavier. Changes to Article 4.1 F1 Technology Regulationsthe minimum weight of the car will increase by 2 kilograms from 798 kg to 800 kg next season.
This change is as follows Changes to F1 rules Regarding the size of the driver itself, Sport has increased the driver's minimum weight from 80 kg to 82 kg. It was made for the health and safety of drivers, especially tall drivers such as Alexander Albon, George Russell and Esteban Ocon.
Increased limits for DRS and Flex Wings
One of the main technical points that occurred during the 2024 Formula 1 season was the rear wing design of the McLaren. At high speeds, the rear wing of the MCL38 is tilted backwards under heavy aerodynamic loads, creating a victory gap called the “minidora.”
McLaren was instructed to change its design last fall, but the FIA has tightened technical regulations on both the rear wing and drag reduction systems (DRS).
Under the new regulations outlined in Article 3.10 Technical regulationsthe minimum gap in the rear wing decreases from 10-15mm to 9.4-13mm, and with the DRS open, the upper limit remains at 85mm. “When the DRS is in a deployed state, in all points along the span, the rear wing profile requires a minimum gap of 9.4mm to 85mm.”
moreover, According to available reportsthe FIA introduces more restrictions on the wing before it began with the Spanish Grand Prix.
Driver Cooling System
At the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, the driver encountered a brutal environment.
Since then, tire restrictions have been introduced Pirelli discovered: Standard analysis of tires following a practice session called “Sidewall separation between topping compounds and many carcass cords.” [tires] The FIA implemented a limit of 18 laps on each set of tires.
This means that, rather than having some laps ready to make the tire easier or give the tire a break, the driver is pushed completely into each of these 18 laps before the mandated pit stop. Ta.
Combining it with heat and humidity has created what many drivers consider to be the most physically demanding race of their careers. Esteban Ocon admitted to vomiting twice in his car – still finishing in 7th place, but Logan Sargent retired due to heat stroke and dehydration as he arrived in Qatar dealing with the flu. did. Both Alexander Albon and Reims walks were treated to the medical centre after the race and walked. admit He was “stomped” with his AMR23 and experienced blurred vision during the Grand Prix.
Currently, the FIA requires driver cooling kits in the event of extreme weather conditions. If the FIA predicts temperatures above 30.5 degrees Celsius, it will require a team to equip the driver with a cooling system.
This also requires an increase in the minimum weight of the car to compensate for the cooling system. To qualify for practice, qualifying and sprinting, you will see an increase of 2 kilograms and an increase of 5 kilograms in the F1 Sprint Race and Grand Prix.
Sports regulations
Fastest lap bonus points
Amid the changes to sports regulations in 2025?
Eliminate bonus points for the fastest laps in a race.
Drivers who post the fastest laps of races introduced in the 2019 Formula 1 season will receive bonus points if they finish in the top 10. In theory, this created an opportunity for teams to score extra points, promoting thrilling races and the possibility of all 10 teams scoring, but the reality was very different.
For example, take a look at the Singapore Grand Prix last season. At the end of that race visa cash app RB F1 team, Daniel Ricardo called out a set of soft tires to the pits. Using softer compounds and lower fuel, Ricardo rocked the rocket around the truck, setting up a new circuit record for the fastest lap recorded in Marina Bay.
But that is not without controversy. Ricardo was running well outside the top 10 and was not qualifying for that bonus point. However, he also denied Lando Noris the additional points trapped in a tough battle with Max Verstappen for the Formula One driver's championship. With VCARB on the grid as Red Bull's sister team, many thought the move might have been made to deny that bonus point. I also thanked Ricardo. After the Singapore Grand Prix.
That bonus point is no longer on the table this season.
The FIA announced the move ahead of the 2024 US Grand Prix, with the driver from Charles Leclerc to George Russell placing a heavy emphasis on that Thursday's decision.
“I thought the fastest lap points were a bit pointless because I always thought the driver was the toughest race in the top 10. SB Nation Thursday. “So I've never really seen the benefits of that. I'm glad to see it disappears.”
“I don't think that's a bad thing,” Ferrari driver Charles Leclair said during a media session. “To be honest, I always felt this was very superficial because I was always dependent on your racial situation. It's a matter of fact that you pit stop and do that fast lap. Because it was about being in a lucky position that could be done, so I think it's a good thing that I got off.”
“I think we'll be away from all sorts of games that we can play,” Oscar Piastri said during a media session. “I'm not saying that the game has been played in the past, but we just remove the doubt. In many cases, we just have a dominant car, and if there's a dominant car, it's just the fastest lap. I saw that I could get extra points.
“So it doesn't always bring any benefit to other cars in any way, so for me, I think it's absolutely ok to get rid of it again.”
Increased training requirements for young drivers
This is another change for the 2025 season. Each team is required to perform free practice sessions for four young drivers, increasing the number of current requirements. Additionally, each car is used twice a season.
The move was announced ahead of the 2024 US Grand Prix, and Austin allowed them to chat with Alpine team principal Oliver Oaks about the decision. Oaks probably has his own racing background, his background in driver development, and the fact that he has a rookie driver for Jack Douhan, so he has his own racing background, and everything he can do Given the fact that you may need practice, you are probably the best team principal to chat about movements. obtain.
“If you stand behind and see the whole sport, I think it's really exciting for sports because we're seeing these young talents coming in right now,” he said in Austin last October. Ta. “I think we've seen it this year with Ollie Bearman and Franco Colapinto. It's very exciting to see the younger guys from F2 coming in. They're extremely talented, but they're champions in F2. I'm not leading the ship.
“There are so many talents throughout F2 and F3 and they give those drivers the opportunity to showcase what they can do, and I'm excited about it.
“Obviously, I'm a bit biased because other businesses are in those categories, but in reality, as an F1 team, I think it's really cool,” Oakes continued. “I don't just offer options for my academy drivers, I keep my drivers too. [F1] The driver on the toe comes, [you’ve] I worked hard because young talent came. ”
Previous car test
Testing previous car (TPC) programs allows drivers to participate in practice, test and test with cars over two years old.
However, changes and restrictions have led to TPC regulations.
The starting team this season will be allowed to run for 20 days of TPC, and drivers currently participating in Formula 1 will be limited to a total of 1,000 kilometers over four days.
Drivers who are not participating in F1 for a particular team are limited only by available days and distance limits are not limited.
Additionally, teams cannot hold TPC sessions on scheduled tracks within 60 days of the current race.
If no qualifications are performed, set up a grid
In Sao Paulo Grampurpuri in 2024, F1 moved qualifying rounds from Saturday to Sunday due to heavy rain.
But it raised an interesting question: how do race stewards set up the grid for races if they fail to carry out qualifications? Does it take place on practice time? Championship ranking? Rock paper scissors? The rules remained silent on the issue.
However, that won't happen next season.
Change to Article 42 of sports regulationsthe driver's championship ranking is used to set up the grid if no qualifying takes place. If rankings are not available, such as in the first race of the season, the grid will be set “at the steward's sole discretion.”
In exceptional circumstances where qualifying sessions are not conducted in competition, accepting stewards where sessions are not conducted, the race grid is defined based on the driver's championship classification. In such a situation,
The procedures defined in Article 42.3 shall apply using the driver's championship classification of each driver, not the qualified session classification. All drivers are considered classified.
If none of the above methods of forming the grid of races are applicable, the formation of the grid of races must be at the steward's sole discretion.
This is also the rule for F1 sprint races.
Set the final grid
Sao Paulo Grampurpuri in 2024 also opened the door to another change in sports regulations.
During the qualifying round held on Sunday hours before the race due to the above Saturday weather, Alexander Albon made his advance in the third quarter. However, the hard shunts in the final segment of qualifying were too many for the team to repair and did not start the Grand Prix itself.
Under existing sports regulations, his seventh place spot on the grid remained vacant. Currently, under revised sports regulations, the final race grid is formed one hour before the start of the race. Cars that have been withdrawn for more than 75 minutes before the start of the race are not included in the grid, and all the following cars will move on the grid to “close” the formation.
Regulation of driver behavior
We conclude with anything that could be a change to monitor.
Last month, the FIA released new guidelines on punishing driver fraud. Under these new regulations, driver comments will be subject to increased regulations and potentially strict penalties up to the suspension and deduction of championship points for repeated actions.
For more information about these new escalating fines, please see here.
Imagine that under this change, championship competitors have been suspended later in the season.
Better yet, don't imagine it.
