The international governing body has announced that the World Motor Sport Council has approved major changes to Formula One’s Sporting and Technical Regulations.

Last Friday, members of the World Motor Sport Council convened remotely from locations across the globe for the second meeting of 2020, chaired by FIA President Jean Todt and FIA Deputy President for Sport Graham Stoker. At the close of the first FIA eConference, the council’s members have agreed to key changes to a list of the FIA-sanctioned series, including Formula One.

The Council noted the approval of the first eight events of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship. As previously announced, the season will get underway in Austria with a double-header event while Hungary, Great Britain, Spain, Belgium and Italy will also stage races in the months of July, August and September.

The council approved alterations to the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Technical and Sporting Regulation by e-vote on 27 May, since then, further meetings have taken place between the Formula 1 Teams, Power Unit Manufacturers, and the FIA in order to refine them.

Changes to the 2020 Sporting Regulations

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the council has noted the approval of further changes to the 2020 Sporting Regulations. This package of rule tweaks is called the ’Return to Racing operations’.

Stewards will be able to operate remotely in exceptional circumstances, should the conditions require it. Team curfew periods have also been altered because of working conditions under social distancing.

Amendments have been made to the tyre allocation regulations to give greater operational flexibility to the FIA and Pirelli. The sport has earlier indicated that it would abandon the traditional starting grid procedure, so new limits have been introduced regarding the team personnel at the grid.

Changes have been ratified regarding certain race procedures including the start and race resumption. The protocols related to the podium ceremony has also been altered to cater for COVID-19 restrictions.

Changes to the 2020 and 2021 Technical Regulations

The council has also ratified tweaks to the rules for future F1 seasons, including - for 2020 and 2021 - 'adjustments and refinements' to the newly-introduced homologated components list and the introduction of a further article relating to fuel flow rate.

The latest regulation change to the fuel flow rate should rule out the possibility of any mischiefs regarding the operation of the power unit while the newly-introduced homologated components have been introduced as a reaction to the financial instability presented by the coronavirus outbreak.

Changes to the 2021 Sporting and Technical Regulations

The council has also ratified changes to the 2021 Sporting and Technical Regulation that are all aimed at implementing cost-cutting measures.

The refinements to the Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions, that are set to lower teams’ expenditure and lead to a more competitive field, have been now approved.

Teams will also be limited in the number of software versions that they can use in a year. It will also be limited to how many fuel formulations and engine oil specifications teams can use in a year. Both limitations will be introduced for a cost reason.