Skip to content

F1 rules and stats 1980-1989

By on
Formula One era 1950-1959 Formula One era 1960-1969 Formula One era 1970-1979 Formula One era 1980-1989 Formula One era 1990-1999 Formula One era 2000-2009 Formula One era 2010-2019
Accidents
GP races: 156
Estimated racing kms: 863000
Accidents in races: 540 Injuries, drivers: 4 Fatalities, drivers: 8 Fatalities, officials: 1 Fatalities, spectators: 0
Technical newbies
Double Chassis (1981, Lotus 88)
Carbon Fibre chassis (1981, McLaren MP4-1)
The survival cell (1982)
Pneumatic Valvehandling (1986)
Active Suspension (1987, Lotus 99T)
Semi-automatic gearbox (1989)
Seven-speed gearbox

Safety regulations
Circuits Drivers Organisation
1980: Obligatory permanent medical centre.

1981: Tyre barriers; pitlane minimum width 10m.

1984: Concrete wall may replace guardrails.

1985: Catchfences banned.

1987: Criteria for temporary circuits.

1989: Trackside barrier min. height 1m.; pitwall min. 1m35.

1984: F1 "Super licence" required.

1989: Dope testing on IOC model, introduced.

 1980: FIA approval of medic. service obligatory; fast rescue car regulations.

1981: Grid 1x1x1.

1986: Permanent FIA medical service inspector. Medical helicopter obligatory.

1987: Grid 16m per car.

1988: Permanent FIA race director.

Technical regulations (chassis)
1981
Reinforced "survival cell" introduced and extended in front of driver's feet.
1983
Flat bottom obligatory; skirts banned; red light increased to 21W.
1984
Refuelling in races banned; fuel tank in centre of car.
1985
Frontal crash test.
1988
Driver's feet behind front wheel axis; static crash test of survival cell and fuel tank.
Regulations (engine - weight)
1980-1983
1500 cc with compressor or 3000 cc without a
compressor. Maximumweight 575 kg (1980), 585 kg (1981), 580 kg
(1982), 540 kg (1983)
480 hp at 10000 rpm-588 kg (1980 Williams 07B)
640 hp at 11000 rpm-540 kg (1983 Brabham BMW BT55 Turbo)
1984-1985
1500 cc without and 3000 cc with compressor.
Minimumweight 540 kg, maximumfuelconsumption 220 l/race.
750 hp at 12000 rpm-540 kg (1985 McLaren-TAG MP4/2B Turbo)
1986
1500 cc with compressor. Minimumweight 540 kg,
max.fuelcons. 195 l/race
1400 hp at 12000 rpm-540 kg (Williams-Honda FW11 Turbo)
1987-1988
- Min.weight 500 kg (1987), 540 kg (1988).
Max.fuelcons. 195 l/race (1987), 155 l/race (1988), max.pressure 4
bar (1987), 2.5 bar (1988). 
850 hp at 13000 rpm-540 kg (Williams-Honda FW11 Turbo)
- Or: 3500 cc not compressed. Minimum 500 kg, no fuel-limit.
590 hp at 12000 rpm- 500 kg (Tyrell-Ford 016)
1989
3500 cc not compressed (no more turbo engines), no refuelling.
685 hp at 13000 rpm-500 kg (McLaren-Honda MP4/5)