FIA announces World Motor Sport Council decisions 28.09.2016: The FIA held its latest World Motor Sport Council meeting today in Paris. During the meeting, the following decisions were taken:

The FIA held its latest World Motor Sport Council meeting today in Paris. During the meeting, the following decisions were taken:



FIA Formula One World Championship

The World Motor Sport Council approved the provisional calendar for the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship:


26 March    Melbourne    Australia
9 April    Shanghai    China
16 April    Bahrain    Bahrain
30 April    Sochi    Russia
14 May    Barcelona    Spain
28 May    Monte Carlo    Monaco
11 June    Montreal    Canada*
18 June    Baku    Azerbaijan
2 July    Spielberg    Austria
9 July    Silverstone    United Kingdom
23 July    Budapest    Hungary
30 July    Hockenheim    Germany*
27 August    Spa-Francorchamps    Belgium
3 September    Monza    Italy
17 September    Sepang    Malaysia
1 October    Singapore    Singapore
8 October    Suzuka    Japan
22 October    Austin    USA
5 November    Mexico City    Mexico
12 November    Sao Paolo    Brazil*
26 November    Abu Dhabi    United Arab Emirates
*Subject to confirmation




The World Motor Sport Council confirmed changes to Appendices 6 and 8 of the 2017 F1 Sporting Regulations which clarify outsourcing arrangements and conduct permitted regarding Listed Parts, Non-Listed Parts, wind tunnel testing and personnel transfer between teams engaged in a working or developmental relationship.


A new procedure regarding wet weather starts was also accepted. From 2017, if a safety car is deemed to be required for the beginning of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occur 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.


Drivers must continue to present their helmets in substantially the same livery 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 one event (such as a home race) for a special livery (at the driver’s choice). Drivers will also be allowed to change their helmet liveries if changing teams during the season.


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


For the first five events of the 2017 Championship season only, the normal team selection procedure for tyres will not be used as the deadline occurs before pre-season testing.


 For these events 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.






FIA Formula 3 European Championship


A number of changes to the Sporting Regulations were adopted by the World Motor Sport Council to improve the value proposition for drivers and teams. These include:


-        Increase in the maximum number of seasons for drivers – from three to four. The maximum age for drivers is now 25 years.


-        Implementation of a prizemoney pool of €500,000 split between drivers, rookies and teams.


-        The penalty for an engine change is now a ten place penalty for one race (reduced from three races) – should the FIA Technical Delegate be satisfied that the change is due to a mechanical or electrical failure.


-        Wind tunnel testing is now banned. The chassis manufacturer will also now be required to disclose the full aerodynamic data to all competitors.





FIA Formula 3 World Cup

The World Motor Sport Council selected Pirelli as the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA Formula 3 World Cup to be held at the Macau Grand Prix on 17-20 November.




FIA Formula 4


The World Motor Sport Council noted the introduction of a safety upgrade to F4 cars - specifically a headrest completely filled with foam and new extractable seat requirements.


Also, wheel tethers must now be capable of absorbing 6kJ of energy, up from 4kJ previously.


All F4 chassis manufacturers currently adhere to these standards, and new cars with these safety features will remain at €33,000 for the basic car.


 An upgrade kit will be made available for older cars to bring them into line with the new standards at minimal cost.





FIA Formula E Championship


The FIA previously launched a tender for the exclusive supply of batteries for the FIA Formula E Championship, with the aim of implementing technology that will allow drivers to complete a full race without changing cars mid-race from Season 5.


At the conclusion of the tender process, and with the support of independent experts, the World Motor Sport Council has chosen McLaren Applied Technologies as the exclusive battery supplier for the 2018-19 (Season 5) and 2019-20 seasons. The decision was made to limit the term of this agreement to two seasons in light of the ongoing rapid development of battery technology.


The World Motor Sport Council approved the introduction of a “power ramp down” whereby cars that have exceeded the maximum allowed power usage during the race, must linearly ramp down to 0kW use within five seconds on track.


The car’s rain light and ready-to-move light must flash to alert other drivers on track. After the car crosses the pit-in line in the first car, or the finish line in the second car, the driver must be able to reactivate the MGU power to continue the race, or return to the pits.


This amendment is designed to make the concept of drivers exceeding their power usage easier for spectators to follow.



The calendar for the 2016-17 FIA Formula E Championship was approved – the new calendar is:

9 October    Hong Kong*
12 November    Marrakesh
18 February    Buenos Aires
1 April    Mexico City
13 May    Monaco
20 May    Paris
10 June    Berlin
1 July    Brussels*
15 July    New York*
16 July    New York*
29 July    Montreal*
30 July    Montreal*
*Subject to circuit homologation



FIA World Endurance Championship

The calendar for the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship was confirmed:

16 April    6 Hours of Silverstone    United Kingdom
6 May    6 Hours of Spa    Belgium
17/18 June    24 Hours of Le Mans    France
16 July    6 Hours of Nurburgring    Germany
3 September    6 Hours of Mexico City    Mexico
16 September    6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas    USA
15 October    6 Hours of Fuji    Japan
5 November    6 Hours of Shanghai    China
18 November    6 Hours of Bahrain    Bahrain





FIA World Touring Car Championship


The World Motor Sport Council acknowledged the unfortunate cancellation of the Race of Thailand, which was scheduled for 6 November 2016, as a result of unresolved issues between the FIA World Touring Car Championship Promoter, Eurosport Events, and the Race of Thailand Promoter, the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand.






FIA GT World Cup


The World Motor Sport Council selected Pirelli as the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA GT World Cup to be held at the Macau Grand Prix on 17-20 November.




CIK-FIA


The World Motor Sport Council accepted the proposal of the CIK-FIA to reduce the minimum age of drivers competing in non-gearbox karting categories by one year.

 Drivers will now be able to access a Grade D or Grade C licence in the calendar year of their 12th birthday in the junior categories and in the calendar year of their 14th birthday in the non-gearbox senior categories.


This change has been introduced to allow for the fact that drivers can now leave Karting for Formula 4 as early as 15 years of age – opening up the possibility of drivers entering Karting earlier will help to better prepare young drivers before they move into cars.


The adaptation of these regulations will be finalised in due course.



The calendar for the CIK-FIA championships, cups and trophies in 2017 was confirmed as follows:



23 April    Sarno, Italy    CIK-FIA European Championships
CIK-FIA European Junior Championships
CIK-FIA European KZ Championships

14 May    Genk, Belgium    CIK-FIA European KZ Championships CIK-FIA European KZ2 Championships
CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy

11 June    Alonso, Spain    CIK-FIA European Championships
CIK-FIA European Junior Championships
CIK-FIA European KZ Championships

2 July    Le Mans, France    CIK-FIA European Championships
CIK-FIA European Junior Championships
CIK-FIA European KZ2 Championships

23 July    Alahärmä, Finland    CIK-FIA European Championships
CIK-FIA European Junior Championships
CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy

30 July    Kristianstad, Sweden    CIK-FIA European Championships
CIK-FIA European Junior Championships
CIK-FIA European KZ Championships
CIK-FIA European KZ2 Championships

10 September    Wackersdorf, Germany    CIK-FIA World KZ Championships
CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy
CIK-FIA International KZ2 Super Cup

24 September    PF International, UK    CIK-FIA World Championships
CIK-FIA World Junior Championships

1 October    Le Mans, France    CIK-FIA Endurance Championships







FIA European Drag Racing Championship


The Top Methanol Dragster and Top Methanol Funny Car categories will be combined for 2017 - the championship will have four classes.


The FIA will launch a call for Expressions of Interest for a Promoter for the FIA European Drag Racing Championship from 2018.





FIA Electric and New Energy Championships Commission


The World Motor Sport Council approved the request to change the name of the FIA Alternative Energies Cup to the FIA Electric and New Energy Championship (ENEC) - to establish consistency with the name of the relevant Commission.


It was also agreed for the Commission to launch a call for Expressions of Interest for a Promoter for the newly renamed FIA Electric and New Energy Championship.








FIA World Rally Championship


From 2017 a manufacturer may nominate a minimum of two and maximum of three cars for the purpose of scoring points in the Manufacturer’s Championship.


 Scores from the two best cars in the final classification will amass points in this Championship.


Additional cars may be entered by a manufacturer but will not be eligible to score points in the Manufacturers’ Championship.


Only drivers entered by Manufacturers are eligible to drive 2017 World Rally Cars, with the approval of the FIA.


A Privateers’ Cup will be created for competitors entering current World Rally Cars in WRC events, ensuring cars with valid homologations can continue to compete for a title.




As such, the new driver classification system will be as follows:


-        P1 – drivers of World Rally Cars entered by a manufacturer and approved by the FIA


-        P2 – drivers entered with older specifications of WRC cars


-        P3 – drivers entered by a competitor eligible to score points in the WRC2 Championship


The FIA will launch an invitation to tender for the 2017 FIA Junior WRC Championship.


The World Motor Sport Council accepted the composition of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship calendar, with 12 events (some dates still to be confirmed). They are:

20-22 January    Rally Monte Carlo
10-12 February    Rally Sweden
10-12 March    Rally Mexico
7-9 April    Rallye de France
28-30 April    Rally Argentina*
19-21 May    Rally de Portugal
9-11 June    Rally Italia*
Date to be confirmed    Rally Finland
Date to be confirmed    Rally Germany
Date to be confirmed    Rally Spain
Date to be confirmed    Rally Great Britain
Date to be confirmed    Rally Australia



*Subject to formalisation of agreed terms and conditions between WRC Promoter, FIA and the Event Organiser.


The candidates for the 13th or a potential 14th event are Turkey, China and Poland. The final calendar will be presented at the World Motor Sport Council meeting on 30 November, 2016.





FIA European Rally Championship


In order to increase the possibility of more drivers scoring points for the final classifications in ERC, ERC2 and ERC3, drivers and co-drivers may now only count a maximum of six scores per season.


From 2017, there will be one European Rally Championship for Teams title.


Registered teams need to enter up to three cars in ERC, ERC2 or ERC3 and the two best-placed cars will amass points towards the title. The maximum number of event results counting towards the title is set at six.




FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies

The calendar for the 2017 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies was confirmed:
24-26 February    Russia    Baja Russia-Northern Forest    B
9-11 March    Abu Dhabi    Dubai Baja**    B
1-7 April    Abu Dhabi    Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge    CC
16-21 April    Qatar    Sealine Cross Country Rally    CC
20-27 May    Kazakhstan    Rally Kazakhstan    CC
15-18 June    Italy    Italian Baja*    B
21-23 July    Spain    Baja España Aragόn    B
10-13 August    Hungary    Hungarian Baja    B
24-27 August    Poland    Baja Poland    B
1-7 October    Morocco    Rallye du Maroc*    CC
26-28 October    Portugal    Baja Portalegre 500    B



* Subject to the ASN’s confirmation
** Subject to candidate event / FIA approval and the date
B=Baja, CC=Cross Country




FIA Historic Motor Sport Commission


After consultation with the competitors, teams and organisers, a number of proposals were made to the World Motor Sport Council regarding the Sporting Regulations of the FIA Historic Sporting Rally Championship in order to improve the success of, and participation in the championship. These were all approved and will be added to the Sporting Regulations for the 2017 championship.



The World Motor Sport Council accepted the addition and recognition in Appendix K of Competition.


Touring (CT) cars of Period G onwards, built in compliance with an ASN’s technical regulations for the top multi-marque National Touring Car Championship and subject to the approval of the HMSC. This follows a number of HTP applications for cars that raced according to specifications issued by a particular ASN but also having raced in competitions registered on the International Sporting Calendar of the FIA.



The next World Motor Sport Council meeting will be held on 30 November in Vienna.





- FIA -also logo